


A Fleeting Thing

by louise_lux



Category: Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden
Genre: Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-30
Updated: 2015-04-30
Packaged: 2018-03-26 11:20:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 48
Words: 36,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3849025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louise_lux/pseuds/louise_lux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of unconnected short fragments, snippets and short fics written for prompts and challenges. There are various pairings and ratings, from gen to explicit. I afraid I can't remember the details of everything in this collection, as they were written some time ago, so proceed with either caution or reckless abandon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In a Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanzo/Hakkai

It was a pleasant evening. No one had tried to kill anyone else for hours. The moon was round and bright and the air was warm. Somewhere frogs were croaking at each other, a hypnotic, countrified sound that lent the scruffy inn some badly needed pastoral charm. 

Hakkai pottered around the room he was sharing with Sanzo, putting his toothbrush on the side table, settling Jeep on a blanket, putting dirty clothes in a cotton bag he kept for such things. Sanzo lay on his bed reading, his front scattered with a fine layer of ash from half a pack of cigarettes.

Finally, Hakkai locked the door, then sat down on his own bed and said, 'Sanzo. We could-- you know, if you like.' 

'Huh. Right.' Sanzo's eyes flickered his way so briefly Hakkai might have missed it if he hadn't been looking closely. 'Let me finish this article.' 

'Of course.' 

It was new, this thing between them, but already there were little rituals in place. Sanzo pretended not to care and, after the first time, Hakkai was always the one who brought it up. The first time had been accidental; Sanzo had obviously been drunker than he looked and Hakkai had gone along with it from sheer surprise. At first. But it had gone well. In fact it had gone very well indeed. 

Hakkai took his clothes off and got under the covers to wait. For a room where no one was speaking, it was very noisy. Besides the frogs there were Sanzo's sharp breaths as he exhaled cigarette smoke, the rustle of his newspaper and, every few minutes, a muffled yell or a thump from the room next door. Hakkai pulled the covers up a little more.

'Sanzo,' said Hakkai, 'have you finished yet?'

'Humph,' was followed by an irritable sigh and the rustle of a newspaper as it was discarded. Sanzo's light tread on the floorboards, then the mattress dipped as Sanzo sat on the edge of the bed. Hakkai turned and propped his head on one hand, the better to watch him. 

'Take these off,' he said softly and drew his fingers over Sanzo's arm, where the cloth was, then across his back. They lingered there, then crept up into his hair and stroked lightly. 

Sanzo didn't say anything, but the gloves landed on the floor, the metal rings thumping on the boards. A sudden crash from next door made the walls shake and Sanzo paused in pulling his shirt over his head and his shoulders sagged. Then there was more laughter: it was clearly not a youkai attack. Sanzo threw his shirt on the floor. 

'The children are noisy tonight,' Hakkai said. 

The best one could hope for, Hakkai thought, stroking the expanse of pale skin and the delicate curve of Sanzo's spine, was a lack of hostility, or that Sanzo wouldn't say anything too scathing to him about what they were doing. He had a tendency to try and make them both miserable afterwards and Hakkai suspected he did it to make up for enjoying himself.

Sanzo snorted and shook his head. 'Shut up. I don't want to think about them.' 

'It's probably for the best,' Hakkai said, as Sanzo wriggled out of his jeans and underwear and turned to Hakkai, not smiling, because Sanzo almost never smiled these days, not even for something like this. Perhaps especially not for something like this.

He sat up and reached out to draw him closer but Sanzo caught his wrist in one hand, stopping him, his fingers digging in. 

'Hakkai. Why do this? I mean with me and not-- ?' Sanzo stopped and his scowl deepened. He was plainly unable to bring himself to speak Gojyo's name, not in bed. 

It would really be much better if Sanzo hadn't brought this up, thought Hakkai, fighting down a slight surge of panic, but he had wondered when Sanzo would get round to asking about Gojyo. 

'Perhaps I could ask you the same thing, Sanzo?'

'Fuck off.' 

'All right, I'm sorry. Well, let's see. Why do this? I've always found bad-tempered monks exciting.'

'Fuck off again,' but this time he didn't sound like he meant it.

'It can be boring sharing a room for so long, don't you think? We have to think of ways to entertain ourselves.'

That almost got a smile, a quick twist of Sanzo's lips. Hakkai had actually never found Sanzo boring; a host of other things, certainly: rude, miserable, violent and withdrawn, but never dull. 

'I want you,' he admitted, very softly.

Sanzo glared at him, but it was belied by the way he swayed towards Hakkai a little, his lips parting. He doesn't know what he looks like, Hakkai thought. A perfect mix of stay away and please touch me. Hakkai was finding that he was hopelessly susceptible to it and perhaps always had been. 

'Can I kiss you?' he asked, because there were still certain rules to this and it was safer to keep to them, after all. 

Sanzo shrugged like it didn't matter to him if he did or not but a faint tinge of pink spread across his cheeks. 

The softness of his lips was always shocking; they were warm and parted willingly under his. Sanzo made a low noise in his throat at the touch of Hakkai's tongue and rested his hands on his shoulders, lightly at first, almost hovering, but as their kisses became deeper Sanzo wound his arms round Hakkai's neck to pull him closer. 

Sanzo was warm and solid and his body, freed of clothing, was lithe and strong. He looked like he should feel cold and hard like something made of porcelain, but instead he pulsed with life under Hakkai's touch, shivering and trembling as their kisses got fiercer and more needy. Slowly, they fell back to the pillows, shifting until they were side by side and their hands could move where they wanted, their lips still joined. 

Sanzo didn't speak much after that, mostly because Hakkai kept his mouth busy, but he was never talkative during sex. Every so often Sanzo pulled back to look at him and to follow with his eyes the path his hands took as they roamed over Hakkai's body, but they always came back to his face. It made Hakkai's heart race to have that invasive, possessive gaze turned on him, just as if Sanzo could see clear into him and could see exactly what he was. Sanzo was staring down at him, stroking him furiously, and then he was coming all over Sanzo's hand and then Sanzo was too, curling over to kiss him and to gasp into his mouth.

'We should get cleaned up,' Hakkai said, after a while. 

'Mmmnh.'

They lay on the bed, not quite touching but near enough so Hakkai could feel Sanzo's warmth. Sanzo's eyes were closed but when Hakkai turned his head so did he and their eyes met again. It was absolutely impossible to look away. 

'You were-- it was... good,' Sanzo said in a tight voice, then dipped his head so he wasn't looking at Hakkai any longer. 

'Yes, it was.' 

The bed springs squeaked as Sanzo got up and padded back to his own bed. He looked drowsy and flushed and his hair was tumbled. Hakkai saw that something else was different too: his mouth had lost its familiar downward turn, at least for now. It was only a temporary change, but it was enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for Mistressrenet, who asked for Gojyo, chocolate, delectable and who am I to argue.

It was usually better to come at life's pleasures from an oblique angle, Hakkai thought. Far safer to sidle up to a thing rather than show it your face straight on in case one scared it away, or stopped it from happening merely by wanting it too much. Small pleasures, unthinkingly taken.

So he didn’t dwell on why he occasionally liked to buy chocolate for Gojyo to eat. It made him happy to see Gojyo's smile of genuine delight, because Gojyo loved chocolate and would make a display of how much he enjoyed eating it: sucking each piece until it melted utterly on his tongue, then licking his fingers and lips, serious concentration and then afterwards a slow curl to his lips as he said thank you.

It was sensible to give him the chocolate after dinner, when the body could digest it more readily, but that wasn't the only reason. After dinner, if there was chocolate, Gojyo would sit at the table with him, his hair tossed back over his shoulders and his shirt open and eat it bit by bit in front of him, breaking the dark, scented squares off one by one. The smell of it would fill the room and Hakkai would watch under his lashes and sip coffee and cross his legs and not think too much at all. Small pleasures indeed. Delight. How delectable that chocolate must be.

There was satisfaction in being empty, in starving oneself and going hungry, but life was not possible without something to feed on, however small.

Sometimes he took a piece of it for himself, just to revel in the melting it gave him in the pit of his stomach; not only at the sweetness but at the sight of Gojyo's mouth, sweet itself and parted, as Gojyo watched him eat it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Metal_dog5 - Hakkai/Gojyo, snug

"Are you getting in soon?" Hakkai said. He was sitting in bed, a book propped against his raised knees. His glasses had slipped a little. Gojyo stretched out on the couch and yawned, watching him.

"Yeah, in a minute."

"Don't be long."

Gojyo padded to the bathroom. He peed and wondered if he should brush his teeth. It'd make his bedtime glass of beer taste weird. But then, he'd have a mouth like a dragon's armpit in the morning, not a nice thing to wake up to. He cleaned his teeth and put his brush back in the glass, next to Hakkai's. Maybe he wouldn't have beer tonight anyhow. It wouldn't be too pleasant for Hakkai either.

He undressed next to the bed. Hakkai put his book and glasses on the bedside table and slid down under the blankets; he always slept nearest the window. They both usually slept in the same position, curled in the same direction every night. 

Gojyo inched nearer, so that the tip of his nose pressed against Hakkai's t-shirt. Warmth from Hakkai's skin seeped across the air between them. Being in bed with Hakkai was the warmest he'd ever been. He wanted to press and push down into it. Instead he pillowed his head on his arm and wriggled himself comfortable until Hakkai made a sound and pressed cold toes to Gojyo's shin. 

"You're worse than a dragon," Hakkai mumbled, in a sleepy complaining tone.

I love you, Gojyo thought, staring at the curve of Hakkai's neck where his t-shirt sagged. He edged nearer. "Yeah, sorry."

Maybe they should stop sharing a bed one day. Or, maybe they should start sharing one properly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Kispexi - Kou/Zakuro, and an illusion gone wrong.

Zakuro was sitting on a stump, hunched over a sandwich and with a magazine balanced on his knees. He didn't look up, not even when Kou snapped a twig with his foot. 

"Hey," Kou said, from across the small clearing. 

Zakuro twisted round and almost toppled off his stump. "Oh, shit," he said, through a mouthful of food.

"What the hell's going on. You've joined up with Sanzo now?"

Zakuro tossed his magazine aside and stood, flapping his coat behind him. He waved his arm. "No! Never."

"You have. They told me."

"It is not true, my diminutive yet powerful Lordship. They lie. It is an enemy lie."

"I'm not diminutive. You're coming back to Houtou with me. Maybe the Princess can get some sense out of you."

He didn't actually mean it. He wouldn't throw his most hated enemy to Gyokumen. Well, actually she had him already. Or he had her. He shivered at the idea. Zakuro frowned, then smiled horribly and shook his fist. 

"I fear you are confused, Lord—Sanzo!"

The ground wobbled a bit and Kou got a horrible tight feeling in his nether regions. It suddenly got really hot.

"What the hell?" Kou said, looking down at himself. He was swamped in an itchy woollen robe and he was apparently wearing the most uncomfortable underwear ever. Good grief, did Sanzo really wear fundoshi? The small bamboo breastplate rattled on his chest as he moved his arms.

"Ahaha," Zakuro said. "You are hopelessly confused, my goodly priest, and you will make your way back whence you came. Leaving me in peace, by the way. I have more lunch to eat."

Kou stared at him, then snapped his fingers. The clothes disappeared and Zakuro wilted.

"Oh, damn. My clever plan has been foiled," he said, drooping more. "My fate is sealed. In my own blood, if you send me to the princess!"

Kou scratched his head. This was awkward. "Hmm, well, maybe we don't have to go that far. It was a good disguise," he said. "Although, tell me something."

"I will tell you anything, my lord."

"...How do you know what sort of underwear Genjyo Sanzo Houshi wears?"

"Anything but that."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A snippet for 2metaldog, who asked for Jien/Banri 'testing boundaries'. This is set post journey.

There was some loser hanging around at Gojyo and Hakkai's place, sitting silently out on the porch with cigarettes and beer. He was youkai and he had a long fresh scar down the side of his arm, five long furrows like someone had taken a set of claws to him. Doku mostly ignored him, because it was weird enough being here in the first place without having to make small talk with Gojyo's friends.

"Dinner is ready, Dokugakuji-san," Hakkai said. "Please, sit."

"Um, thanks."

Hakkai cooked enough food to kill a man. Maybe he was trying to do just that, Doku thought, watching them both out of the corner of his eye. At one point, Gojyo squeezed Hakkai's knee under the table, like he thought no one was going to notice. What an idiot, Doku thought, fondly, and carried on slurping his noodles. The guy outside didn't come in and Gojyo didn't say anything. Hakkai glanced several times at the door.

"How is Lord Kougaiji?" Hakkai said. 

"Okay, you know. Better than before." 

"Well, I'm glad."

"Yeah," Gojyo added, catching Doku's eye. "That was a bad deal."

Rasetsunyo had turned to so much black dust, after being sealed for so long. Gyokumen's magic had poisoned her frozen body. Staring down at his nearly empty bowl, his stomach tightened as he remembered Kou's face. 

"Uh, think I'm gonna get some fresh air," he said, and pushed his chair back. 

Gojyo stood too, fast and alert, like he'd been waiting for something to go wrong, or for Doku to leap up and leave. He'd put some fat and muscle on his skinny bones since Doku had seen him last, at Houtou, and he looked stronger. Glowing, nearly. "What? Are you going?"

"Gojyo—" Hakkai said, gently, and caught his sleeve. "It's fine."

"Nah, it's nothing," Doku said, and he reached over the table and cupped Gojyo's jaw with one hand and patted. Gojyo's eyes went wide, like a kid. "Calm down."

The guy outside was leaning back against the stone wall of the house, his stick-like legs stuck out into the dust. Doku looked at him for a second, then sat down next to him.

"There's food," he said, after a few minutes. "A lot of it."

"Yeah, I know."

They watched a mangy dog trot past. It was carrying a long yellowed bone in its mouth. The guy bent his head and worked on his cigarette until blue clouds came puffing out. 

"You could have some," Jien said.

"I'm not going in there, are you nuts?"

Doku scratched his chin and slid a glance at him. "He ain't that scary, once you get to know him," he said. "And my brother's fine. He doesn't bite."

The guy turned to look. His eyes were scornful. "Yeah, whatever. Look at my friggin' arm."

"The scars are healing well." It looked like it'd been treated professionally.

Banri shrugged. "So, you're his big brother? Jien, right?"

Dokugakuji paused. No one had called him that for years. In fact, Gojyo was the last person, on that last day together. He looked over his shoulder at the little house, with its propped-open door and table-full of food, scrubbed floors and tidy rooms – a family house. It was a whole new world inside there. 

"No. I'm Dokugakuji now. You can call me that."

"It fucks me off when people change their names and think they can start all over again. Uh. I'm Banri."

"Sorry, man. It worked for me."

He half wanted to ask this man what his story was, although he could guess a lot of it. Banri was lucky not to be dead-- although possibly he was crazy. The claw marks weren't so good though, and he thought he could guess who'd caused them. He wondered when exactly Gojyo had got into the habit of picking up strays. He smiled to himself and earned a scowl from Banri.

He didn't ask Banri anything. From inside, he heard some muttering.

"Banri-san, the food's getting cold," Hakkai called, after a few moments, in a careful soft voice. "Would you like some?"

"You should go in and eat," Doku said, and nudged him with his elbow. "It's good."

"Do I look like that big a loser?" Banri took another cigarette from his pack and lit it with a sharp flick of his lighter. "Don't even answer that. You don't even look like him."

"Different mothers."

"Oh yeah." Banri snapped his lighter shut and hunched down over his cigarette. "He told me about that stuff. Sucks."

Doku waited for questions and was relieved when they didn't come. He stood and brushed off his jeans. "I'm going back in, so— You want to come in with me?"

Banri was shaky on his legs, like he hadn't been well for a long time. The bones of his elbow dug into Doku's palm as he helped him along. Banri shook as he moved and he tightened his hand on Doku's arm like he was an old man.

"You're more alike than you look, okay," was all he said. 

Doku laughed, and thought about Kou and Yaone and Lirin, and how much he wanted to get home. "Oh, yeah. I think we are."


	6. Salty Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pirate AU. Gojyo/Hakkai.

Gojyo floated. The water was warm, lapping all around him like loving hands. It wanted him, he knew that, and that wasn't surprising. The sea was a woman, she couldn't help herself. He sighed and wished the plank wasn't so hard. If only he had a feather bed. The water was softer. Maybe he could roll off this damned bit of splintered wood and into the water. He'd be weightless, held up, caressed all over. He turned his head, sure he could hear a voice, cool and melodious like a stream of clear water. It was calling him.

"Hey, you!" 

"Uhhn."

"You there."

That was a real voice. Gojyo blinked, waking. The sun was dazzling and hot, beating down on him. His throat was dry and scratchy and he ached just about everywhere. His legs and arms were weak and his muscles were shaking. There was a ship rising out of the sea above him and a man peering down. 

There was something wrong with the ship. Its flanks were bone white. Black sails were furled tight against its masts. 

"Whuu?" Gojyo said.

"What are you doing?"

Gojyo floated, spinning a little in the churning water. "Um. Drowning?"

"This is inconvenient." 

A small boat splashed down into the water and Gojyo watched, half blinded by the sun, as it came closer. The man at the oars—the only man in it-- had green eyes like the sea in an English winter. His long dark hair was ruffled by the breeze and his skin was a pale colour, like he'd never even been touched by the sun. He hauled Gojyo over the side and landed him on the spine of the boat like Gojyo was a caught fish.

"Thanks," Gojyo said, panting and coughing. 

"My name is Hakkai. You can call me that."

There was something else odd about the ship, Gojyo thought, as he was slung over Hakkai's shoulder and carried aboard. There was no one about; no grizzled deck hands, no officers, no lads in the rigging. All was silent and still.

Sea water dripped from Gojyo's hair and streamers of sea weed hung there too. He watched them swinging, watched the heels of Hakkai's glossy black boots tapping on the boards. The ship groaned around them. It was an angry sound, Gojyo thought. Like it knew Gojyo was on board and didn't like him. Ships aren't alive, he told himself, as the blood rushed to his head. The clots of weed slithered down over his shoulders and landed on the deck.

"You looked like a sea monster," Hakkai said, over his shoulder.

"Feel like one too."

"Hmm."

Hakkai took him below decks, to an empty hold. There was one bed and Hakkai slung him on it, hard, so that Gojyo had to gasp for breath and clutch his stomach. Hakkai fetched a water flask and held it to Gojyo's mouth. 

"Drink," he commanded.

Gojyo was sick a little at first, then drank more, until Hakkai took it from him. He pushed some dried hard brown bread at Gojyo, and some dried meat. His eyes were murky in the dim light and his fingers were cold as he stripped Gojyo of his gun and his knives. They skimmed over the bruises on Gojyo's body.

"These are valuable weapons," Hakkai said, softly." I wonder who beat you and threw you in the water." He didn't say it like he really wanted to know, though. "Eat."

"Oh," Gojyo said, "thanks," and passed out. 

He woke up feeling very strange. The world was the wrong way up for lying down. He shook his head, hard. It took him several moments to realise he was standing. No, more than standing, he was lashed upright, to the foremast. He groaned and yanked his arms, then his legs, but they were tied fast. Looking down, he saw he was lashed with a haphazard combination of thin and leather cords and what looked like a bed shirt around one ankle. 

"So, you're awake, finally," a cool terse voice said.

He looked up through strands of his salt crusted hair and saw Hakkai watching him. The man looked bizarre; tight black breeches and boots polished like they'd never been worn before, black shirt and neckcloth, heavy black coat even in this heat. He stood, cool and still against the bone white ship. Two skulls lay in one corner and as Gojyo watched, they rolled with the swell of the sea. He swallowed. 

"Uh, hey," he said. "Untie me?"

"Are you a mercenary?" Hakkai stood with his hands loose at his sides and an expression of such keen interest in his sharp eyes that Gojyo flushed.

"No," Gojyo said. "You can trust me."

"As could whoever gave you those bruises," Hakkai said. 

"Yeah, well." Gojyo laughed and leaned his head back against the warm sun-soaked wood of the mast. This could be bad trouble. "I got into a little spot of trouble. Wasn't my fault."

"Your defence is lacking in conviction."

"That's just what the judge said to me a while ago."

He'd been an officer once, was just a stinking stowaway now. Hakkai stepped closer, his neat frock coat swinging. Even the buttons were black – clusters of jet, carved into skulls. More skulls. He had a knife in his right hand, a big one. It had a curved blade and its edge collected light and flung it in Gojyo's eyes as he lifted it. 

"What do you want?" Hakkai said.

"You're the one who tied me up. I'd like to be let free."

Hakkai shook his head. "Why are you here?" 

"I don't know. Because you saved my life?"

Hakkai narrowed his eyes. "I don't think so." 

"Hey, floating on a plank isn't exactly how I usually travel."

"But you must be here for a reason," Hakkai said, although it was like he was saying it to himself more than Gojyo. It was hard not to notice that Hakkai didn't look entirely sane. He kept looking at Gojyo like Gojyo had fallen out of the sky and asked him to a dance.

"I'm not. How could I be?"

Hakkai looked at him silently. Gojyo couldn't help noticing how his eyes would drift downwards to fix on Gojyo's chest or the tight cut of his breeches. He swallowed again and tensed, watching the knife. 

"No one finds my ship by chance," Hakkai said. "Therefore, it must be fate." He paced around Gojyo slowly. Gojyo could sense those wide green eyes on him like a beam of light. "I would like to know why."

"Why would no one find this ship?" Gojyo said.

The sun was going in, eaten away by a sea mist. The air grew chilly on his skin and he shivered. Hakkai's boots tapped smartly as he walked, slowly circling him, watching him. There was a thigh bone over by the fo'csle. Hakkai had a clear and perfect profile, like a Venetian countess in a painting. 

"My ship keeps me safe," Hakkai said. 

Gojyo frowned deeply. "It does?"

"Oh yes, it knows me, you see."

The ship groaned again as she rolled, long and low, like she was answering. Gojyo shut his mouth, because abruptly he didn't want to know any more. 

Everyone knew the stories. Gojyo had been hearing them since he was knee high to his brother, and his brother had loved to spin yarns about lost ships with no crew, apart from the Devil himself. They were just stories to scare a boy and maiden aunts. All the same, he shivered again and wondered if it could be true. The air was almost icy now and, this close, Hakkai's eyes looked fathomless, like the deepest trenches. He couldn't make himself shut up.

"Are you… a ghost?" Gojyo asked. 

Hakkai was suddenly very near, hot breath all over Gojyo's neck at the back. That didn't feel ethereal at all.

"Of course not," he said, in a level voice, and the faint laugh that followed shivered over Gojyo's skin like caress. "I'd have to be dead for that. How could I talk and walk if I was dead?"

Gojyo nodded, wishing he felt more reassured. "Are you going to untie me?"

"No. You're my prisoner." Hakkai came to stand in front of him. He raised the knife and laid it against Gojyo's chest, the tip laid flat against the dip of skin in the middle of his chest. "I can do what I like with my prisoners," he said.

"What—What are you going to do?" Gojyo asked, because it was better to find out now. He eyed the knife and Hakkai's cold pretty eyes and thought about how his gaze lingered over Gojyo's body. He'd had this sort of attention before, from men who'd thought they could have him. 

"Whatever I choose," Hakkai said, levelly. He smiled, and Gojyo's stomach clenched again. 

The knife tip angled in a tiny amount and Hakkai drew the blade so that it sliced through Gojyo's shirt. 

"You don't have to tie me up," Gojyo said, swallowing down the sharp clench of fear in his stomach. "For that."

Hakkai ignored him. He cut through the cotton cleanly and the two halves fell open and hung at his sides, exposing him all the way to the waistband of his breeches. Hakkai ran his fingers over the bruise on Gojyo's left side, gentle as the wing of a dove. Gojyo couldn't help but gasp, feeling the touch as a sharp shock.

"They shouldn't have hurt you like this," Hakkai said. 

Gojyo yanked against his bindings and growled, to make his point about what men should and shouldn't do to him. Hakkai made an absent little sound and walked around behind him. Something cold and delicate, which could only be the knife tip, trailed down his spine from neck to base, then along each arm, and then the remains of his shirt were plucked gently off him. He heard Hakkai sigh very softly, as if satisfied. A hand ran down his spine, following the knife, and it rested on the base of his spine. Somewhere below deck, something huge and heavy thumped to the floor.

"My ship doesn't like you," Hakkai said in his ear, very close so that Gojyo jumped. "Yes. I don't think you should go below decks again. Men go down there and don't come out."

"Hey, uh. Untie me now and I'll just leave you in peace, right? I'll leave, you won't have to see me again. China's that way, isn't it?"

Hakkai moved his hand so that it curled around Gojyo's hip. The wool of his coat was heavy and cool, beaded with damp. He slipped his fingertips under Gojyo's belt, quite casually as if he did so every day. Gojyo felt a little flare of something in his guts that wasn't fear at all. 

"I don't want you to leave," Hakkai said, sounding very rational.

He took his hand away and came to face Gojyo. He took his knife and passed it over Gojyo's leather belt. It fell apart like it was made of cheese.

"Aw, my good belt."

"I'll buy you another," Hakkai said, quietly. There were two high spots of red on his cheeks now. He laid the knife blade flat against Gojyo's thigh and leaned in close. The touch of his body, thigh to thigh and chest to chest, was a shock. Hakkai pressed his cheek to Gojyo's and bent his head as if to take in the scent of his neck. His lips brushed Gojyo's collarbone. His free hand splayed over Gojyo's stomach, stroking. Then it slid lower, still stroking, clever and knowing.

Jesus Christ, Gojyo silently prayed, as he got hard. "D'you do this to all the people you drag out of the sea?" he said.

Hakkai said, face still buried in Gojyo's neck. "No. At least, I don't know. You're the only one I've saved."

He stepped back and ran a finger down the ridge in the front of Gojyo's trousers, pressing hard. 

"These need to come off," he said, stroking down Gojyo's leg like it was just... normal. 

"You shouldn't," Gojyo said. 

"Why?"

"Because." You're mad.. "That's knife's dangerous."

"Oh. I'd never hurt you with it," Hakkai said. He smiled. "Very much."

"Don't you care I'm a man?"

"Do you?"

He met Gojyo's eyes as he sliced down through each leg, shredding them. The blade was icy against his skin, making his shiver out of all control as the remains of his breeches fell away. Gojyo's stockings and shoes had gone long before, even before the captain of the tea clipper had thrown him overboard. 

"That's better," Hakkai murmured, and he dropped the knife straight down, so that its blade tip thunked into the wood. It stood quivering, its black handle worked with silver. The hem of Hakkai's coat brushed against Gojyo's thigh and he smoothed a hand down over Gojyo's stomach to grasp his cock. Gojyo moaned and strained against his bonds. He was as hard as he'd been in his life.

"God damn you. Stop."

"No. You're mine," Hakkai said, leaning close. His words were so soft and his breath tickled Gojyo's ear and he ran his clever cool fingers up and down Gojyo's cock, down over his balls, creeping between his thighs, as if exploring every curve of him. "I can do as I choose."

Gojyo shoved against him, rolling his hips. "Not if I'm tied up."

Hakkai pulled back to look at him. His lips were wet and red and his breath was shorter than it had been. He leaned in again and pushed his tongue into Gojyo's mouth, rough and hungry, one hand cupping Gojyo's jaw, his fingertips making cool points on Gojyo's cheek. Gojyo opened his lips, let Hakkai kiss him and suck on his tongue and touch him until he was shaking. Gojyo leaned back, pulling free.

"Untie me," he said, his voice rough.

Something in the ship thumped then, so violently that Gojyo felt it through his bare feet. Mist curled around them, binding them together, Gojyo's bare skin against Hakkai's black clothes. Up above them the sun was a pale grey disk, but he could feel its warmth struggling to break through once more. Hakkai broke away, letting him go. 

"I'll be back," and he strode away, coat swirling behind him.

Gojyo groaned through gritted teeth, part fear and part frustration. He bent his head and set out thinking of a way to get free of his bonds.


	7. Bets Laid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakkai/Gojyo, Explicit, for the prompt 'bets gone wrong'

Gojyo had a bet running this past year, a private one. He was losing it a little at a time, day by day.

"He said no," Lin said, as she drifted past. Over at the card table, Hakkai was concentrating hard, not looking up.

"What did you ask?"

"If he wanted to play canasta," Lin said.

"Seriously?"

"No, dumb-ass. If he wanted to make out."

"Oh."

"He said he had to walk you back." 

They walked home under the spread of thousands of stars, side by side. 

"Did you encourage her to ask me those things?" Hakkai said, when they were deep in the woods. 

He stopped, so Gojyo stopped too and wondered if he could lie. Something about the moment-- maybe the stomach flipping feeling that they were alone in all the world-- made him say: "Yeah."

"Why?" He sounded curious. “You keep doing this.”

"She likes you. She's got amazing tits." He paused, hearing how shallow he sounded. "You seem kinda lonely, too. Sometimes."

Hakkai laughed. "I'm not."

"No?"

"I have you for company, Gojyo."

"Yeah, but I'm not a chick."

"I know," Hakkai said. 

There was a small shivery silence. At this point, Gojyo could walk away and forget it. He could go on letting Hakkai clean and cook and be the best and closest friend he'd ever had. That could be enough.

"What do you want?" he stuttered out, instead. 

"Nothing," Hakkai said. "I have more than I thought I'd ever have."

Hakkai made it worse, saying stuff like that, making Gojyo have to admit to things he'd rather keep buried. Start slow, Gojyo told himself. Go easy, don't be a dick. He'd done it once, let some guy rub off on him, felt his cock all rubbery and hot on his leg. He'd freaked out for months, then got over it.

"I wanna have sex," he blurted, gracelessly. "If you want. With you."

Hakkai opened his mouth, but Gojyo didn't have any air left in his body, so it wasn't like he could exactly chat about it. Hakkai stared, his face all shadow and angles. Then he nodded. Yes. He wanted that. 

Oh, holy fucking hell, Hakkai was coming near. Gojyo's heart was pumping so hard that the ground tipped under his feet.

"Did you think I wouldn't want to?" Hakkai said, lifting his hand to stroke strands of hair from Gojyo's face. "I've been waiting."

"I wasn't sure... " It sounded lame now, but it was true.

“I know.”

He kissed Gojyo on the mouth, warm, slick lips that were clever and hungry, and guided him backwards until they were off the path. Gojyo only had to bend his head a little. Hakkai's jaw was sharp where he cupped it, his kisses hard and confident, not like Gojyo'd expected.

Gojyo pulled back and abruptly slid to his knees in a messy heap. 

"Gojyo—"

"Don’t. I need—"

He pressed his overheated face to Hakkai's cock, arms tight around his thighs. He rubbed his cheek against the hard ridge and heard soft gasps above him. 

Hakkai said something, too low to hear, and dragged his belt and jeans open, pushing his underwear down to expose slim thighs. His cock sprang up, hot and smooth and stiff. Gojyo breathed against it, shivering at Hakkai's scent, at the way his cock was leaking and pulsing against Gojyo's cheek. He found the head with his mouth and let it slip in, weighing it, then slid his lips down the shaft, licking up against the ridges, taking in so much that he couldn't breathe. A warm spill of fluid pooled on his tongue and a low moan sang from Gojyo's throat.

"Oh," Hakkai half laughed, curling over, hands running through Gojyo's hair over and over. "Why did we wait?"

Gojyo couldn't think. He fisted his hands in Hakkai's jeans, nuzzling in to suck harder on him, wanting more, reaching for it. The first shove of Hakkai's hips and Gojyo was fumbling his own dick from his jeans. 

This was a mess, so crazy, right here by the road. Hakkai arched back, shoulders to a tree, coming in Gojyo's mouth. It was bitter and Gojyo couldn't swallow, so he bent and let it drip out, jerking himself off, there on his knees, sucking on Hakkai’s softening cock. He came hard onto the dirt, face pressed to Hakkai’s hip.

He thought it'd be hard to look, but it wasn't. Hakkai drew him up and put his arms around Gojyo's waist, almost squeezing the breath out of him. They leaned together, the tree solid behind them. It didn't even feel weird, just good.


	8. Travel Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakkai, Hakuryuu, Gojyo. Written in 10 minutes

"You're getting heavy," Hakkai said. 

Hakuryuu stared up at him. It was difficult to understand that look, but Hakkai thought he saw indignation in it. He ran his hand down Hakuryuu's neck in slow strokes. "It's better to hear the truth, Hakuryuu," he said, leaning back in his armchair. 

"Don't feed him biscuits, then," Gojyo muttered. 

"Mm, all right."

Rain was steadily pattering down outside and Hakuryuu was a solid warm weight in his lap. He scratched behind Hakuryuu's ears and played with the rough hair that sprouted from his neck. Hakuryuu grew somehow heavier and began to drool. 

Across the room, barefoot and bare-chested, Gojyo was smoking and pretending not to watch, although his red gaze kept fixing on Hakkai's fingers. Hakkai lowered his eyelids and smiled. Would you like to sit in my lap too, he could ask. Don't be jealous, I'll stroke you too, all the way down. 

He returned his gaze to the rain, faintly amused at himself. Gojyo was rather large. Hakuryuu was enough for now.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: sight. Written in 17 mins.

It was dark, real bottomless thick dark like they got sometimes out in the sticks, out in the poor towns with no streetlamps, only lanterns that got hung at the gates to cast a small dim glow. It didn't carry through the shutters of the small and shabby room they were in that night, and he was glad. At least, he thought he was. Hakkai was warm and solid next to him, invisible but so very there, with his cock hard against Gojyo's thigh, so fucking hard. He swore he'd never meant for this to happen. 

It wasn't the first time, either. They groped for each other, not speaking, only feeling. Hakkai's mouth was soft and wet under his, opening with a small gasp as Gojyo rolled on top of him. In the dark it could be anyone. He clung onto that thought for about a second and then let it slide away. 

He could see. Who was he kidding? He could always see. It wasn't really dark, it never was. His vision was too sharp, youkai sharp, and he wondered if Hakkai knew that. The room shimmered with tiny points of light, the glint of metal on Hakkai's ear, the faint gleam of his lips and eyes and the way Hakkai's skin collected light, ghostly pale but there. The shock of dark and light that was his body. Gojyo could see him. He wondered if Hakkai could see him too.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: magic, in one hour. Four guys walk into a fortune teller's hut...

"How long've we been lost now?" Goku said. 

He didn't sound his usual cheery self at all, Hakkai thought. 

"It's been two days. You read the map wrong. Just admit it," Sanzo said. He was hunched over with his eyes shut, looking like a man who'd just lost the last scrap of patience he possessed.

"We aren't lost, merely misguided," Hakkai said. "Look, we're on the right road."

Gojyo leaned forward and leaned on his shoulder, so that Hakkai could smell the dust on his skin and the smoke on his breath.

"Give it up. We saw you with the map upside down."

Hakkai put his foot down and Gojyo thumped back into his seat with a small cry. "We'll soon be there—wherever it is we're going."

He did get a little distracted sometimes, admittedly. But there were so many things to think about. More importantly, so many things to not think about, to let the mind fly apart, drifting like blossoms into a mass of soft white nothing. It was a nothingness made of many notes, the soft, achingly familiar, pulse of Gojyo's qi, Sanzo's like a tall white wall, Goku's like… His senses drew back, like a snail encountering a thorn. In any case, there was a lot not to think about.

"Left, turn left," Sanzo was shouting in his ear.

"Ah yes. Left. I knew that, of course."

The town was where he'd thought it was, of course. It'd just taken much longer to get there than he'd imagined. The town was busy—there was some kind of fair-- and they spent a very long time looking for an inn.

"You okay?" Gojyo said, winding a friendly arm around his neck. They were in the market square, in a crowd of people. Hakkai let himself lean for a moment and felt the immediate slight shift in Gojyo's muscles as he moved to support him. It probably wasn't fair to do such things.

"Just a little tired," Hakkai said. 

"Yeah, there's a cure for that."

"…What?"

Gojyo grinned at him. "Sittin' around on our asses drinking beer." 

"We have to find somewhere to sleep first, I'm afraid."

Sanzo came back with Goku. "We'll have to look further out," he snapped. "Come on."

The air was warm and heavy with scents of spicy food; piles of yellow rice cooked with vegetables, dark sticky sweet cakes, bottles of beer and water. They wandered, and it was pleasant enough, although the stalls were sparse and battered and the sounds of merriment seemed a little forced. Hakkai's spine prickled. That was understandable; they were nearer India now, much closer to the dark magic of the minus wave. 

"I've got to eat. Sanzo, I'm gonna die if I don't eat." Goku's voice was inexplicably comforting.

"Oh, for—all right," Sanzo said. 

They ate standing up in the shade of an awning, crowding close together. 

"Do you think there's something creepy about this fair?" Gojyo said, looking around.

"So what's new?" Sanzo said. "Shut up and eat."

"What, I'm not allowed to talk now?"

"No."

After they'd eaten, they wandered again. 

"Shouldn't we be looking for a room?" Hakkai said, because everyone seemed a little distracted. Perhaps it was because everyone was digesting. 

"Yeah," Sanzo said, vaguely, as they wandered past a ragged tent. It had faded blue and white stripes and its sign said that there was a fortune teller inside. Gojyo stopped in front of it.

"Hey, look. Let's go in."

"Why? It's pointless," Sanzo said, crushing out his cigarette. "There's just going to be more crap and then we die."

"Well, that's a depressing view," said Hakkai. 

"It can't hurt, can it?" said Goku, who was on the threshold, almost quivering.

Nevertheless, Sanzo followed them inside. Something was definitely wrong, Hakkai thought. The fortune teller sat in shadow, draped in pale cloth, and it was very hard to tell if they were male or female. Their voice was dry and cold. A woman, Hakkai thought, of some great age.

"I can't see your future, children, I can tell you that now."

"You're not much of fortune teller, then," Sanzo said. 

"So, what can you see?" Gojyo said.

She leaned out and grasped his palm, stroking her sharp nails over it. "You've lived many lives, boy, and you're a miscreant in all of them. Always will be."

She touched Goku's palm and frowned. "Like a chick in an egg, you broke through to the light. Keep that in mind."

Her touch on Hakkai's palm was feather light. His thoughts buzzed loud in his ears for a moment, red and twisting. 

"You're not as clever as you think you are," she said. "Criminal."

Hakkai stared down at her, and tugged his hand away. "I'm not sure this is worth paying for," he said. 

Sanzo hung back, frowning. 

"Come on," she said. "Are you afraid of a simple old woman?"

"No," and he sounded very young for a moment, and Hakkai felt he saw a child there, or someone lacking wisdom. Gojyo and Goku were staring at him too, and the air seemed too thin, somehow.

She took his hand anyway, quite delicately, then dropped it. His hand seemed to take a long time to fall. "You all knew each other, before," she said. "In Heaven."

Sanzo shuddered in a breath and then made them leave. Hakkai was glad to go. Only Goku lingered, staring at the tent.

"That was friggin' weird-ass," Gojyo said. 

"Let's not do it again," said Hakkai.

"Was she right, though?" said Goku, slowly.

Hakkai caught Gojyo's eye and they both looked away. Sanzo shook his head. 

"We don't need to know that," he said.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for prompt 'ghosts' in 35 minutes. Hakkai is trying to recreate his old life.

Hakkai spent his first months in Gojyo's house cooking and cleaning, making sure nutritious food was ready in the mornings and evenings, washing Gojyo's clothes along with his own, darning socks and taking care of household tasks that had perhaps never been done before, like cleaning the shower. The amount of yellowed crusted lime scale he'd chipped from the tiles had been remarkable and disgusting. 

Even when Gojyo nearly got killed by the youkai gang and things became less strained between them, Hakkai kept up his routine, even though by then he'd recognised what he was doing. He also knew why it was making them both uncomfortable. There was no way to recreate the happy days he'd spent with Kanan.

The day he realised that for good, he broke rather a lot of crockery. The bowls and cups shattered into razor-edged fragments, like his dreams. Gojyo was out, luckily, otherwise explaining why he was on his knees on the kitchen floor making bloody handprints would've made them both even more uncomfortable. 

He decided to stop cleaning and cooking for a while. Gojyo wasn't Kanan, obviously, although he was like her in some ways, throwing his life away like it meant nothing to anyone and—

He didn't do anything in the house for a whole week. It was pointless.

"Are you growing a beard?" Sanzo asked, one day. 

"I'm fine."

"…That's not what I asked."

He came home from the temple that day and found Gojyo at the sink, wearing the apron. It was inside out and untied. There were small grey puddles of water on the floor around his feet. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at Hakkai, soft and a little sheepish. 

"Time for a change," Gojyo said, looking back to the sink. His hair hung in lank red strings around his jaw. "Thought it was my turn to look after you."

Hakkai had to put a hand over his eyes and lean against the door frame.

"Well, hey," Gojyo said. "There's no need to cry about it."

Hakkai took his hand away. "I'm not crying," he said.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakkai/Gojyo. Prompt: uncharted territory.

It wasn't much of a shack, but it was pretty nice of the villagers to let them stay in it after they'd trashed their town square. Gojyo found a nearly bald broom and swept the floor, then filled the water bucket and washed the window. He scrubbed the worst of the blood out of their clothes and thought about wringing Sanzo's neck as he squeezed almost clean, pale pink water from Goku's shirt.

The first morning, Goku was still out cold, lying sprawled on a blanket in the outhouse. Much good that rusted lock would do them if he was still crazy when he woke up, but it made Gojyo feel better, and it kept him away from Hakkai. 

Hakkai woke up now and then, his gaze all fogged, and Gojyo could see the pain in his eyes. His nose and mouth were still clogged with blood, even though Gojyo had cleaned most of it away. 

"Hey," Gojyo said, and smiled. 

"How's Goku?"

"Fine. Get some more sleep."

Hakkai did, and the next day he was awake, pale and silent and shivering. Gojyo built up the small fire as best he could and they huddled next to it. 

"He's still unconscious," Hakkai said, and he looked at Gojyo with wide and frightened eyes. 

"He'll be okay, you know how tough he is." 

"Yes." 

It got colder, and Gojyo fetched the holey grey blanket and dragged it round Hakkai's shoulders, and wondered what the hell to say. 

"It won't always be like this, I guess."

"What do you mean?"

"This bad."

Hakkai didn't look very comforted. He raised an eyebrow. "Would life be worth living if it was?"

"Probably not." Gojyo poked at the fire with the tip of his boot, and thought about Hakkai on the bridge, looking like the world was crushing him. "Do you still think about it?" 

"About what?"

"The future?" 

"Not really." Hakkai's smile was so tired, like it was taking all his energy. "Why would I?"

"Yeah, well. I was thinking about afterwards. You know, after we get home." He rubbed through his hair, feeling as awkward as he ever had. "We could get a place. Like a farm or something. Or, you know, a shop that sold really great weapons. Or food."

Hakkai met his eyes, and his gaze was unflinching. 

"We?"

"Yeah." 

Hakkai looked away into the fire, the warm light making his face glow. Already the bruises were fading. He was getting stronger than ever, Gojyo thought, and the thought half terrified him. 

"I'd like that. Perhaps it might even happen," Hakkai said. 

"Yeah, perhaps."

It was enough to hope for.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 'rebirth'. Dr Ni Jianyi conducts an experiment.

The real problem, Ni thought, was getting tanks big enough to hold a human. He sat on the roof of Houtou, waiting for the storm. Its purple bruised edges were spreading east across Gandhara, and it would soon be here. Several wary feet away, ravens watched him with their small black eyes.

The lightening conductor was in place. Thick cables snaked from it down through the trapdoor and hung down to the tank. He looked down, checking the connection, even though he knew it was good. 

The test subject might be a little cramped. Perhaps he should get a custom-built tank made next time. Plate glass was so expensive though. He shook his head and smiled to himself. Penny pinching never paid off. In any case, it was Gyokumen's money he was spending and she owed him. Ah, yes, she owed him so much. She owed him more than she could ever pay back. A jagged pebble sat next to his toe, no doubt brought there by other storms. He kicked it hard and it clanged and bounced down into the chaotic mess of equipment, finally hitting the glass tank with a sharp crack. 

The thing inside didn't open its eyes. Not yet, Ni thought, but it would be soon. Already the first thunder could be heard, like Heaven falling. The wind was getting up, making the tails of his lab coat flap around. Fragments of ice began to fall and the birds rose up, shrieking.

"We're ready," he said, to no one but the ravens.

Test subject number eighteen was a success, jerking and flailing in its bath of electrified plasma. Ni watched, then opened the drainage channel in the base of the tank. The thing lay gasping in the air. No, it wasn't a thing. Nii corrected himself. It was a man. Ni smiled and helped him out of the chamber, wrapped him in a blanket and sat him in his computer chair, then gazed at him in awe.

"Hello," Ni said. The man just stared. "How do you feel?"

The man—he needed a name-- had a shock of blood red hair, just growing in. He had eyes that were as red as a winter dawn. The genetic work to get this far had taken years, but he was perfect. Ni reached out to touch his face. Red eyes watched him, and Ni wondered at the unaccustomed feeling that seemed to constrict his chest.

"My sun," he said.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Puddingcat, who wanted Ono and Gojyo. Saiyuki/Antique Bakery

"So, look. You can do this demonic charm thing, right?"

"You're very pretty, did you know that?"

"… Yeah. Actually I did. But that's not the point."

"Isn't it? Silly me. Have another mohjito."

"Thanks. Anyway, the point is. Is that your hand? No, wait. I'm not into guys, so don't go getting the wrong idea about me."

"… You were asking me a question?"

"The charm thing that you were talking about. It works with chicks as well, right?"

"It might. You know, I've never been that interested in finding out."

"Hahahah. Watch that hand. I told you I'm not into guys."

"Oh, I know that. You're all man, that's very clear. I love your jeans by the way. Are they Dolce and Gabbana?"

"Uh. Nah, Hakkai got them from the second-hand shop."

"They fit you very well. Very well cut around the hips. He's got a good eye."

"No, he's got a bad eye."

"I'm sorry?"

"Only one eye. He pulled the other one out. Gotta fake one." 

"Oh. I see. Is he-- He's not anywhere near here now is he?" 

"No. So, go on. Tell me how."

"You know, you're really quite gay for someone who says they're straight."

"Hey!"

"I could give you a demonstration, I live near here. There wouldn't be much sex involved really, just some quick masturbation. It's would hardly be a homosexual act at all." 

"I dunno... "

"Please."

"Uh... Well-- "

" I'm so lonely, you see... "

"Hey, just about every guy in here's said hello to you tonight."

"It's not the same. Please."

"It's-- It's not that gay, I guess."

"Hardly at all."

"And you'd teach me the trick, right?"

"Of course. As many times as you like."

"What's your name again?"

"Yusuke Ono. But you can call me Yuey."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Thornsilver, who requested: Gojyo/Hakkai, with slight Gojyo creepiness. Implied incest.

Uncle Gojyo. So, according to Hakkai, he was going to be a forty year old lecher preying on young girls? Specifically, Hakkai's daughter. That really wasn't that flattering. Any time he tried to imagine her, all he got was Hakkai with boobs and a skirt and a steely gaze, breaking his arm if he tried to get a hand anywhere fun.

Hakkai was sleeping in the other bed, his blankets all twisted around him. Usually he slept like he was temporarily dead - like he needed a lot of sleep, or he just preferred being in his dreams, whatever they were. Gojyo could guess though. Tonight he kept making vague sounds, like he was trying to talk to someone.

Gojyo lay on his back and pushed his own blankets away. Too-warm air flowed over him, not much cooled by the night. It touched his bare thighs and chest, and he closed his eyes. This was a really bad time to get horny. Without even meaning to, he slid his hand into his underwear and dragged his palm over his stiffening cock. 

Maybe Hakkai's daughter would look like Kanan. The only picture Gojyo had of her was a mental one, gleaned from a couple of rambling late-night over-detailed stories, which was how Gojyo knew that Hakkai could get drunk, whatever he said.

Although looks depended on the mother too, he thought, then tried to picture Hakkai with a woman. A suitable mother, someone indestructible. But that just got him Sanzo with boobs and a gun. 

Whoever the mother, the daughter'd be hot. Because Hakkai was. 

He wrapped his fist tight around his dick and stroked himself a few times, picturing her; long hair, green eyes, sitting on his lap and giggling. She'd be the same age Gojyo was now, except she'd be too young for him and he'd be far too old. But, Hakkai's daughter-- He pressed his hand over his eyes. She'd want him and she'd have Hakkai's mouth, and she'd let him spread her legs and settle her on his hard cock. Hakkai would be fine with that, just fine, enough so that he'd be there, watching them with his cool gaze and calm, measured smile. 

He rolled over onto his stomach and fucked his fist in tight hard strokes, not letting himself think too hard-- at all-- about the pictures flooding his head. He pressed his face into the flat pillow and groaned, not able to keep totally silent. His tight damp fist was good enough. Not as good as she'd be though. His mouth fell open and he gasped, squeezing the head of his cock between his fingers, imagining smooth thighs spreading under his weight, soft breasts, Hakkai's mouth and his hands spreading out on Gojyo's ass.

His hips jerked hard and he pressed into the bed. He turned his head on the pillow, making more noise than he thought he would, and saw the gleam of Hakkai's open eyes. He was watching, nothing moving except for the slow sweep of his lashes as he shut his eyes. Gojyo came hard and fast, creaming over his own fingers, not caring now that he grunted out loud, or that his mouth was open and he was still staring right at Hakkai's face. 

His hips kept jerking, tiny thrusts into his sticky palm. Hakkai made a sound like he was letting out a held breath but he didn't open his eyes. 

"Wanna know what I was thinking about?" Gojyo whispered, because right now he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

On the pillow, Hakkai's dark head moved. He could be shaking 'no', except Gojyo couldn't see too well in the dark. He could only just see the white of one eye where the faint moonlight caught it. 

"I don't know," Hakkai said, almost softly to hear. 

"Your hot daughter. You."

Hakkai was silent for several moments, then let out a soft laugh.

"I don't think my future wife would appreciate that."

Gojyo rolled onto his back and fished for his t-shirt, wiping his hand off. He dropped it on the floor. 

"Nah, I don't expect she would."

There was a long silence before Hakkai spoke again, so long that Gojyo thought he must be asleep or just not wanting to say anything else. Which was understandable. He put his hand over his eyes again. It was late. Tomorrow they'd be moving on, away from this town. 

"Good night, Gojyo. You need to rest."

"Yeah." He didn't even feel a little bit tired though, and his heart was still thumping in his ribs. "I'll try."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Jamjar: Kenren/Gojyo. "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

Kanzeon Bosatsu was a shocking creature. She had a hard tone and look that Hakkai found curiously offensive. Gojyo had minded too, that was clear. The whole thing was very very odd, and why had she come down to help them in the first place? Possibly it was to do with Sanzo. She'd put all that blood in him. It was suspicious.

Hakkai closed his eyes. It seemed to be taking a long time for sleep to come. Beside him on the floor, Gojyo slept, curled up on his side like a child. He'd been pale and weak a bedtime, even though Hakkai had made him eat second helpings of liver and greens. Across the room Goku whiffled in his sleep like a dog.

It had looked oddly familiar, seeing Gojyo and her together. There was no reason why it should, unless he'd seen them do it before, and he was certain he hadn't. Fairly certain. He tugged the blankets to his chin and slowed his breathing so that it was in time with Gojyo's.

Heaven was bright with cherry blossom, but it had no human scents.

"It's unexpectedly dull," he said. 

"That's what you said last time," someone said.

Not Gojyo, someone else. His smile was more carefree and his gaze softer.

"Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

Not-Gojyo smiled and fiddled with the sake bottle hanging from his belt. "Somewhere, I think."

In the distance he could see the Bosatsu approaching. 

"Where' are the others?" he said.

"Gojyo's here," the man said, and in his arms was Gojyo, wrapped tight around him. Hakkai was sure he was speaking, but he couldn’t hear him. All Hakkai could see was the glossy fall of red as they kissed, and Gojyo's bare back and arms, clinging tight to this man. 

"Are you his brother?" Hakkai said, finally.

The tall figure in a diaphanous top was moving still closer, walking slowly.

"No," Not-Gojyo said, and he laughed.

"Hakkai, we have to go," Gojyo said. 

"Not yet."

"Hakkai. Hakkai. Damn it. Wake up."

Sunlight was pouring in and Gojyo was leaning over him.

"What?"

Gojyo pursed his lips. "You were makin' noises."

"I was having a dream."

"Was it good?"

"Not as good as waking up."


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Telophase. Prompt: Goku, confidence.

"You can't," Sanzo said.

His hair was singed at the tips and there were black soot streaks all over his skin where he'd clawed at the burning earth. It was the first time Goku had ever heard him sound like that, ever, and he was used to Sanzo telling him he couldn't do things. This was different. The chasm gaped next to them. 

"Don't be scared, Sanzo," he said, then reached out and took his hand. 

Sanzo's fingers were cold when he kissed them, and Sanzo blinked and his eyes went round, like Gojyo had just goosed him or something

There was no need to be afraid. He closed his eyes, just for a moment. In that moment he saw them all together again. Hakkai and Gojyo were almost-- He searched around for a word. Beautiful. Yeah, beautiful, with their fearless smiles. He dug his hand into his hair and got his fingernails under the rim of warm metal, then felt Sanzo's hand on his wrist, curling tight enough to grind his bones together.

"Goku."

"I can do it," he said, and shook him off, but gently.

It slipped off. The release of pressure was weird. He shook his head, feeling his hair move where it usually didn't. His head felt like it might float off. 

His mother was screaming in his ear. He looked down at her and smiled. He became aware that his stomach was aching and empty. It could wait though. Gojyo and Hakkai were down there somewhere.

"You're not having them," he said. 

The earth shivered under their feet and behind them the mountain roared. A hot angry flow of liquid stone flowed down its side, swallowing everything it touched 

No, Goku decided. Nothing was gonna eat them.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Janen_san. Prompt: Sanzo, denial

Hazel Glosse was a dangerous idiot, but a useful dangerous idiot. Sanzo lay on his too comfortable bed, his stomach aching from the too-rich food that he'd been served. He stared up at the wooden carvings on the ceiling. If he closed his eyes he saw Goku, falling down with that dumb animal look on his face, over and over. He knew who was to blame, too.

"Stop it," he whispered. 

Ukoku Sanzo had never been his master's friend. Never. It couldn't be true, even though he could even now hear Koumyou's soft voice, telling him to be quick and go to bed so that he and his friend could talk. My friend, he'd said, and he remembered the smile on both their faces. But then, Koumyou had always been polite. Except that he did exactly as he chose.

Sanzo swung his feet off the edge of the bed and reached for the bottle of sake that Hazel had brought him earlier, smiling in that sickly, coy way that almost made him miss Gojyo. 

He drank, running his fingers down over the smooth cool bottle. He remembered soft voices talking late at night, streams of words drifting up into the night like smoke. 

"I'll kill you," he said, into the darkness.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakkai/Gojyo. Bondage. For Notfromvenus. Prompt: Gojyo tied up.

Their bed was small. Hakkai wanted a bigger one, but they’d never bought one. Gojyo wasn't even sure why, but it'd never seemed to be important enough. Like right now. 

He pressed his face to his bound-together forearms and breathed against his own skin, open mouthed and unable to think. Hakkai was touching him, his fingers moving inside him, sinking in slowly, drawing out. Gojyo clenched his fists and the rope around them bit into his skin. He flexed his muscles, straining against it, and the wooden bed frame creaked. Hakkai moaned very faintly.

"You won't be able to get free," Hakkai said. 

"You wanna bet?" Gojyo said, hearing his voice all strangled and low.

He didn't want to get free, that was the freaky thing. He tried not to think about it too much. 

"I trust my luck, Gojyo," Hakkai said, softly.

He heard the faint rasp of Hakkai’s zip and the rustle of cloth as Hakkai pushed his jeans down. They had actual real rope for this. It didn’t break so easy, Hakkai had said. He’d fetched a coil of it from the outhouse and Gojyo had stood naked, letting him wind it slowly round his wrists, and when he’d done that he’d dropped to his knees and had put Gojyo’s cock in his mouth, sucking him desperately until Gojyo had come, messy and loud. Hakkai's mouth was just-- 

"You didn’t come home," Hakkai said, "for three nights."

"As if you give a shit who else I screw," Gojyo said, the last word turning into a low groan as Hakkai pushed inside him. "As long as you get some."

"Yes," Hakkai said, and his voice was shaking and very soft. "That must be it."

Heat bloomed over Gojyo’s skin. He stared down at the rope and licked his own skin, tasting sweat. He was hard again. His cock hung heavy and hot between his thighs. Hakkai hadn't touched it and Gojyo wanted to ask for it. Maybe Hakkai'd make him beg. He was already tied up like a stray dog. 

Instead, Hakkai slid his palms up Gojyo's spine, spreading his fingers possessively across his across his shoulders then stroking back down to hold his hips. He held Gojyo still and worked himself in deeper with little thrusts, hips jerking a little. He was silent but his breathing was getting louder and his nails began to dig into Gojyo’s sides as his thrusts got harder. 

"Did you enjoy her?" Hakkai said, his voice thick.

"Them," Gojyo said, swallowing. He clenched his fists tighter and the rope stung where it rubbed. He looked over his shoulder and bared his teeth. "Three fuckin' hot babes."

They had been, too. It was just a game, he knew that, but they got into it a little too much. Maybe it was something to do with who they were. What they were. He should shut his mouth and take it and just get off on this, but he just couldn't stop pushing, once they'd started. Reckless, Hakkai had said, once. And then any other thoughts he might have had were burned away by the hard, shocking slap that landed on his ass. He arched up, unable to stay still. 

"Gojyo," Hakkai whispered, sounding all hot and shaky and on the edge. "You shouldn't say things like that."

Hakkai was probably right. Except what they said to each other never seemed to matter. Words were spoken and burned away. He nodded and felt his face heating up and when Hakkai did it again, he arched back into it. The third time, his skin began to sting and Hakkai was moaning pretty loud, fucking him faster now, his hips slapping up against tingling skin. He could feel Hakkai's hips jerking out of rhythm, and the bed creaked and thumped against the wall.

"Gojyo," Hakkai said, and his name just a heated whisper in the air.

Another slap, hot and stinging, and then Hakkai reached round and took Gojyo's cock in his hand, stroking him almost painfully hard.

But I always come home, he wanted to say. The words rang in his head, stupidly plaintive, but he couldn't make himself say them. Hakkai knew it anyway. He twisted his head to find Hakkai staring down at him. Their gazes locked and then Hakkai was leaning low over him, still fucking him. Their tongues met before their mouths did, and maybe that was what did it, that and the high pitched moan trapped in Hakkai's throat, the uncontrolled thrusts that meant Hakkai was losing it too. Gojyo came fast, spurting over Hakkai's hand, over the sheets and his own stomach. Hakkai clung to him, finding his mouth again, one hand braced by Gojyo's head as he shivered all over and came inside him.

Hakkai only lay still for a few moments and then he was carefully drawing out and unpicking the knots one by one, with quick fingers that were not entirely steady. Gojyo rolled on his side and watched. His wrists had red lines imprinted on them, winding round each arm. Hakkai took each one between his hands and stroked them, rubbing away the soreness. He wasn't even using qi, just the warmth of his hands.

"Is that better?" he asked. 

Hakkai was lying on his side, gazing at him across the pillow. He looked good; warm and relaxed and his mouth still red and swollen-looking.

"Yeah. You gonna do that to my ass too?" Gojyo said, inching closer. 

"Maybe," Hakkai said. “Do you deserve it?”

The bed really was too small, but it didn't matter.


	20. Attachment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakkai/Gojyo. Because Emungere made me want to put Gojyo in a collar.

Hakkai gave him the box one evening, laying it on the table next to his coffee cup and cigarettes. It had a ribbon wrapped round it.

"What is it?" Gojyo said, staring at it.

"It's a gift," Hakkai said. 

Gojyo huffed out a plume of smoke.

"For me? What for?" 

He put a hand out to touch the box, then stubbed his cigarette out so he could pick it up properly and shake it. It was very light and didn't make a noise. Hakkai was smiling, almost. Gojyo raised his brows, holding it up in both hands.

"I saw it and thought of you," Hakkai said.

That was-- it was nice, Gojyo thought. He tried to remember if he'd ever bought Hakkai anything. But then, why would he? It hadn't occurred to him that he should, or that Hakkai might want it. If Hakkai wanted something he'd say, wouldn't he? Gojyo stared at the box. Because Hakkai always explained exactly what he wanted. Except, not so much. 

Like last month in the bar, when he'd bought Fumi over to say hi. Okay, maybe it had been a bit tactless, but Gojyo had had too many beers by then to care too much and he'd had some weird fantasy in his head about Hakkai grabbing hold of him in front of everyone and taking him home. He flushed, thinking about it now.

It wasn't like Hakkai ever wanted to talk about anything beyond Let me, please, whispered late at night, burning up the air between them. He let his hair fall over his face at the memory, as if Hakkai would be able to read it in his eyes; Hakkai's hands curving over his body and his tongue sliding into Gojyo's mouth. 

Not that Gojyo had ever brought it up himself, either. But he thought about it, more and more. It just seemed impossible to open his mouth and ask Hakkai what the hell was going on with them. So he didn't. They fucked sometimes; he could just leave it at that. 

She was a dancer, she'd said, nuzzling his neck. On the stage. Or just a stage, he wasn't sure. Fumi had dark hair that tumbled in heavy curls and pale blue eyes and an ass that jiggled just right when she walked. Gojyo had wanted to see it jiggle under other circumstances, really badly wanted that, and why the hell not? It wasn't like he had many girls these days. Any, even.

It was easy to tell himself there was no reason why he couldn't have this. It wasn't like Hakkai really gave a shit, was it? Except Hakkai had stood there acting like Fumi was a bad smell, smiling grimly at her, so that she'd backed off a step. But he hadn't said a word to Gojyo. Gojyo had gone back to Fumi's cramped apartment and they fucked until he'd almost been able to forget that Hakkai must've had to walk home alone. 

Gojyo had refused to feel guilty the next afternoon, when he'd finally rolled in, decorated with Fumi's love bites and the flower-garden scent of her perfume. Hakkai had been just as he always was, smiling and distant, the house even more spotless than usual, the atmosphere as chilly as a damp cellar. 

So much for his plan of goading him into saying something. Doing something. Whatever. It was hard to say exactly what it was he had wanted to happen. It hadn't been much of a plan because Hakkai had kept stubbornly silent about it and in the end Gojyo couldn't work out if he was glad about that or not. 

That had been weeks ago, and Hakkai hadn't touched him since, not even accidentally. The last time had been a week before Fumi; one wet, cold night when Hakkai had knelt over him in his warm bed and had sucked his cock, slowly and carefully licking every part of it until Gojyo had arched up off the bed, his voice breaking on Hakkai's name. 

Gojyo put the box down now and pulled at the ribbon. It fell away, slithering off the table into his lap. He lifted the lid and saw tissue paper, and inside that he saw a red curl of leather. At first he thought it was a belt, but it was too small. He picked up and held it out. It was a collar. It looked like the kind of thing you might fix round a dog's neck, but this was clearly for people, or at least he thought so. The leather was stiff and the edges were slightly rough. It looked like it might dig in a little and rub. It was exactly the same shade of red as his eyes. 

"Uh. Thanks," he remembered to say. It had small silver rivets and buckle at the back, with a small silver ring dangling from it. It looked expensive and he knew Hakkai didn't have much money. 

"It's for when you go out," Hakkai said. "I thought you might like to wear it."

"For when I go out?" he repeated, thinking of Fumi and of Hakkai's icy smile. His hot wet mouth. 

Hakkai nodded, smiling slightly. For when he went out. Wearing Hakkai's collar. He turned it round. From the buckle hung a small round silver tag. It was blank. He didn't know what he was expecting it to say: property of Cho Hakkai, maybe. 

He rubbed a thumb over the rivets, examining them. They had sharp tips that dug into the soft pads of his fingers. He swallowed, wondering what it would look like on Hakkai, the red against his white skin. 

Hakkai was watching him, his gaze moving from the collar to Gojyo's hands to his mouth. Gojyo shifted slightly. His jeans felt too tight. He wanted to put it on. He wanted Hakkai to see. 

"Do you like it?"

"Uh, yeah," he said, looking up at Hakkai. It was hard to drag his gaze away.

"Perhaps you should try it on," Hakkai murmured. "To see if it fits. We can always get it adjusted." 

We. Gojyo nodded. He held it to his throat and his fingers slipped on the buckle.

"Here, let me help," said Hakkai. 

"Thanks," Gojyo said. 

The tips of his fingers were cool and tickled where they brushed Gojyo's neck, pulling his hair gently away and up. Hakkai took the collar and fastened it, giving it a little sharp tug that made Gojyo almost jump in his seat. 

"I don't think it's going to slip off," Hakkai said, behind him. 

Heat radiated from his body, all the way up Gojyo's back. His hand rested lightly on Gojyo's shoulder, fingers curling a little, thumb brushing his bare neck just underneath where the collar sat. The skin there prickled. 

"Wouldn't want that," Gojyo said, having to swallow to get his mouth to work properly. "So, does it look okay?" he said. 

He wanted to get up and look, but he didn't think he could move away from Hakkai right now. His erection was hot against his own thigh where it was trapped in his jeans. 

"Let me see," Hakkai said, backing off now. His hand slipped away from Gojyo's skin. Gojyo turned in his chair. "It suits you very much," Hakkai said. He sounded serious. 

Gojyo stood up and walked into the bathroom to look, discreetly adjusting himself on the way. His face was flushed and he could feel the heat in his face and across his chest. The collar looked good, he could see that. It circled his neck, somehow making it seem longer. The match between it and his hair was uncanny and the small spikes gleamed in the dim light. It made him look almost -- pretty. The thought made his face flare hotter. The chicks would love it. 

He quickly unbuckled it and leant on the cool sink for a moment, trying to collect himself. He listened to the faint sound of Hakkai piling breakfast things in the sink and willed his dick to go down.

***

He put the collar back in its box and left it there. He couldn't quite bring himself to wear it. It seemed too special for an ordinary night. Hakkai didn't mention it, but he became fractionally more relaxed and he stopped acting as if Gojyo was carrying some sort of disease. Gojyo didn't mind him not mentioning it. It was enough to know it was there, waiting. 

Gojyo jerked off at night in his little room, thinking about Hakkai in the red collar, sucking his dick; Hakkai naked with him, hot and wanting it; the way Hakkai had pulled it tight against his skin when he'd fixed it on. In the daytime he tried not to think about it at all. 

"Gonna come with me to the bar tonight? It's Jiro's birthday," Gojyo said, a few weeks later, watching Hakkai stare out of the window at the grey clouds. "They miss you down there," he went on. 

Hakkai turned to look at him with a puzzled little frown. 

"Do they?" Hakkai said. 

"Yeah, you know that. Especially the ladies," Gojyo said, touching Hakkai's shoulder. Hakkai didn't pull away but he didn't lean closer either. 

"Oh. The ladies."

"What?"

"They're more your department, aren't they?" Hakkai said.

"Yeah. Well. I dunno," said Gojyo, his throat going dry. 

Hakkai's shoulders had gone stiff and Gojyo couldn't quite meet his eyes. Hakkai hadn't shown his face there for weeks, since Fumi. Yeah, maybe she hadn't been such a great idea. 

"I'll think about it," Hakkai said. 

Gojyo nodded. "You do that." 

Later that day, he washed carefully then put on his best jeans, the leather ones that clung to his thighs. He found his comb and pulled it through his hair and then he took out the box and fastened the collar round his neck, a bright band of red against his skin. He didn't bother with a shirt, just slung on a jacket. 

"So, you comin'?" he asked Hakkai. 

Hakkai looked him over silently, eyes a little too wide, then nodded. 

Hakkai looked like he was having a good time. He was laughing at something with Jiro and Gojyo noticed that his hand was never free of a drink. Someone would come along and press another on him. The bar was noisy and hot and loud. Gojyo moved from table to table, drinking a little too fast, until the beer tasted sour on his tongue and his head got heavy and thick. The collar rubbed against his skin when he turned his head to look for Hakkai. Hakkai had gravitated to a quiet corner where he was playing cards with Mr Shen the grocer. Gojyo waved once and Hakkai nodded and smiled. He said something to Mr Shen and they laughed. 

"Hello Gojyo," someone said. Fumi. 

"Oh. Hey," Gojyo said. She was as pretty as ever. 

"Mmm, this looks so cool," she whispered, leaning in close and touching the silver studs. "I like it. Can I sit here?" and she landed in his lap, laughing and wriggled her ass against his crotch. 

Over her shoulder, piled with her dark curls, he saw Hakkai turning his head. Their eyes met and Hakkai didn't look away until Gojyo dropped his gaze. 

"Fumi… " he began, realising that he didn't have that much experience in turning girls down. Because he was going to.

"I'm guessing you're not allowed out to play tonight, Gojyo," she said, her voice a little too sharp. 

"No. It's not that," he began to say, then stopped. 

It was that, wasn't it? Kind of. Fumi huffed and pushed herself up.

"Whatever. Anyway, I really don't wanna piss your man off," she said, still loud.

A few faces turned his way and he ignored them and willed himself not to go red. Redder. His face already tingled from the alcohol, from Fumi, and the immense heat in the room. He wondered if Hakkai had heard. Hakkai had turned away and all he could see now through the crowd was his arm, still holding a fan of cards, and the fall of his dark hair. 

He walked over and pulled up a spare chair, close enough so that he could lean on Hakkai's shoulder. Hakkai made a small, soft noise and shifted a little, but only so that Gojyo was propped up more firmly. 

"Are you drunk?" Hakkai asked.

"Nah. Yeah. I'm just happy," Gojyo said. 

"How happy?" Hakkai said.

Something tingled at the base of his spine at Hakkai's words and Gojyo settled a little more heavily against him, his heart starting to thump. Hakkai felt good, really good: warm and solid against his side. 

"Wanna go?" Gojyo said.

"Let me finish this hand. Do you mind?" Hakkai said, turning to him. His lips were very close to Gojyo's ear and his hair brushed across Gojyo's cheek.

"Not at all," Gojyo said, and Hakkai smiled then, a sweet, secret smile. 

Mr Shen tapped his cards on the table a little too loudly and they played for a while longer, until Gojyo thought he might fall asleep. Hakkai won his hand against Mr Shen, perhaps in revenge for his impatience. But he probably would've won anyway. He usually did. Hakkai pulled him up and they found their coats and left, slipping out of the door with a gust of heat and noise and goodbyes following them. It faded as the door swung shut behind them, leaving them in silence. The street was empty. It was relief to be outside and fresh sharp air washed over Gojyo's heated skin and made him shiver. They only made it a little way down the darkened road before Hakkai put a hand on his arm to stop him. 

"Gojyo," Hakkai began, and then he was being walked backwards, slowly but unstoppably until his back hit the wall of a closed-up bakery and Hakkai was pressing the whole length of his body up against Gojyo's. 

"Oh," said Gojyo. "Oh." His brain didn't seem to be working. "Are you gonna-- ?" 

Hakkai kissed him. His lips were warm and soft and tasted of rice wine and something salty. They pressed gently to his, unmoving, until Gojyo put both arms round Hakkai's waist and pulled him up close and tight. Hakkai groaned then, and his tongue licked across Gojyo's lips, parting them. He pushed a hand into Gojyo's hair, cupping the back of his head to draw him closer. His tongue slid into Gojyo's mouth, pushing against his own as their mouths moved together. He almost didn't notice Hakkai's other hand. It was doing something to Gojyo's collar. 

"What-- ?" Gojyo panted, pulling back a little. 

Hakkai was very close, smiling at him. He kissed Gojyo, hard, and Gojyo almost missed the brush of cold metal at his neck, the tiny, sharp click and the chink of metal chain. He put his hand up and his fingers touched smooth, hard links. It was a leash. Hakkai was holding the other end, a loop of red leather that matched the collar. 

"Hey," he said, but Hakkai was crowding up close again, not giving him room to move.

"You look so good," Hakkai whispered, against his lips, sounding almost feverish. He licked across them and gave the leash a tiny tug. "Do you mind?" he breathed. 

He rubbed himself against Gojyo's leg. His erection was hot and hard against Gojyo's thigh. Hakkai shortened the leash, not waiting for an answer before wrapping it round his fist and pulling Gojyo closer. Bringing their lips together. 

"I-- I-- " Gojyo had no idea if he minded or not. His dick certainly didn't. Fuck. He breathed deep, but that only made him feel dizzier. He squeezed his eyes shut for a second. Had he known something like this might happen, when he'd first seen it? "What's this-- I mean, why?" he managed, finally, running his fingers along the leash until he touched Hakkai's fist. 

"I just-- wanted to walk you home," Hakkai said. 

"Yeah, but 'walk' as in-- the dog?" Gojyo said, swallowing hard. 

Hakkai bent his head and kissed Gojyo's neck, letting his teeth fix lightly on Gojyo's skin. When Hakkai traced the edge of the collar with his tongue, leaving a cooling wet stripe on his skin, he gave out a faint soft moan because he couldn't keep it in. He could feel Hakkai worry at it with his teeth.

"Dogs have a habit of chasing bitches," Hakkai said, lips moving on his skin, and gave the leash another tug, a little harder this time. "It's best to keep them on a tight lead."

"Oh," Gojyo said, letting out a long, shuddery breath. "Right." He put his arms round Hakkai's waist, pulling his shirt out to slide his hands across smooth, warm skin. "You could've just said something," he said quietly. 

But when did they ever? Even going this far seemed terrifying. 

Hakkai sighed and pressed his face into Gojyo's neck. He was silent for a heartbeat, long enough for Gojyo to wonder if he'd said the wrong thing. 

"I think it's time we went home, don't you?" He unwound the leash and stepped away. It fell in a silver arc between them. Was Hakkai really expecting him to be pulled along on a leash?

"Like-- like this?" 

 

"Alternatively, I'm sure there are plenty of others inside who would be delighted to keep you company, Gojyo," he added. 

Yeah, he was, apparently. His smile made Gojyo shiver and when he tugged, making the metal chain jingle, Gojyo stepped forward without thinking. Hakkai's fingers were clenched and shaking, his knuckles white.

"Okay," Gojyo said, then raised the hand that held the leash and kissed it. It was worth it to see Hakkai's wide eyed expression. He looked almost alarmed. 

Hakkai walked close to him on the way home, shoulder to shoulder, so that a passer by might not have noticed anything odd. Hakkai's profile was calm and relaxed and from time to time he'd turn his head and smile. 

"All right, Gojyo?"

"Yeah," Gojyo said.

He was surprisingly all right. The long chain fell across his bare chest and disappeared into Hakkai's pocket. Hakkai seemed to be taking care not to yank it and after a short while it began to seem less strange. Gojyo couldn't forget it was there: the soft rhythmical clinking raced straight down his spine. He tried not to wonder what the hell it meant that Hakkai could chain him up in public and it got him hard and aching. 

But when they got home Hakkai let him go, handing him the end of his own leash. There were two high spots of colour in his cheeks and he looked down, not meeting Gojyo's eyes. Gojyo didn't know what he was expecting but it wasn't this. 

"What's wrong? You mean you don't wanna-- " 

\--fuck me like this? his brain supplied and he had to close his eyes momentarily against the flood of heat it bought. 

"Gojyo," Hakkai began, then stopped. Gojyo silently pressed the end of the leash back into Hakkai's hand and curled his fingers over it. "I don't own you," said Hakkai quietly. "You can do whatever you like."

"I know that," Gojyo said, finally. "Idiot."

Gojyo hooked one thumb in the waistband of his pants, dragging them down so that they showed more skin. It felt good to make Hakkai stare like that. 

"Oh. Good," Hakkai whispered.

"So, what's the problem?" said Gojyo.

Hakkai looked up at Gojyo then and his eyes were suddenly sharp and hot, burning over Gojyo's skin. He held up the leash so it was taut between them. The collar was heavy round his neck, far heavier than it should be, or maybe he was just more aware of it. Hakkai pulled him in, hand over hand, until they were close enough to press their mouths together. 

"My bed," Hakkai gasped. "Please."

"Okay," and he led the way on legs that were shaking. 

Hakkai followed behind, letting the leash chain stretch between them. Once there it seemed only natural to let his knees finally give way. The length of chain scraped on the floor as Hakkai combed his fingers through Gojyo's hair, over and over as Gojyo fumbled at his zip. As Gojyo began to suck, Hakkai sighed and smoothed his hair back from his face and over his shoulders, tracing along his jaw with tender fingers. Gojyo was hit with a rush of stupid, blinding happiness. 

The collar at his throat seemed more constricting like this, tighter as moved his lips down Hakkai's shaft, feeling it stretch his mouth. He groaned and took in more, curling his tongue around the head, until Hakkai pulled out of his mouth, suddenly. He dropped to his knees with a moan that sounded like pain and kissed Gojyo hard, teeth scraping his lips, hands tangling tight in his hair and breath coming too sharp, too fast. Panting, Gojyo held him back a little. It was hard, because Hakkai didn't want to stop, or couldn't.

"Shit. Wait," he gasped, getting his arms round Hakkai's neck. "Slow down," he said. Hakkai was shaking against him, arms crushingly tight. "Hakkai," he said, pressing their foreheads together. 

Hakkai nodded, eyes shut. He was silent for a long, breathless moment. Gojyo listened to his alarm clock ticking on the bedside table, and to the thudding of his own heart and Hakkai's harsh-sounding breaths. "I want you so much," Hakkai murmured, eventually. It was almost too quiet to hear. It could easily have got lost in the dimly lit room with its faint sounds. "So much."

"I know," Gojyo said, surprising himself, because he thought that he really did. Maybe always had. 

"You don't need this," Hakkai went on, louder, and he reached out and scrabbled for the buckle. "I'm sorry. I should never have-- "

"Don't," Gojyo said, pulling Hakkai's hands away before he could even get the buckle open. He didn't want to lose it. "I want it, okay?" Gojyo kissed him again, taking it slow. He cupped Hakkai's dick in one hand and stroked, easy and light until Hakkai was melting into him and making soft pleased noises. "I like it."

"Oh Gojyo," said Hakkai softly. 

He didn't know who rose first, him or Hakkai, but they were pulling each other up, Hakkai's arms wrapped tight round him, and they almost fell the few steps to the bed, tumbling together in a tangle of arms and legs and hot, messy kisses. Hakkai had to unhook the leash from his wrist to get his shirt off. Gojyo pushed his pants down and Hakkai pulled his boots off. Clothes and shoes ended up tangled on the floor in a heap and then Hakkai was naked and kneeling over him, watching him, one hand wrapped round his own cock, the other searching for and finding the end of the leash once more. He wrapped it round his fist, shifting it so it snaked in a thin silver line over Gojyo's chest, down over his stomach, curling on cold loops over his stiff cock.. Hakkai reached down and slid his thumb through the fluid at the tip, then put it to his mouth and sucked. 

"What-- what do you want?" Gojyo asked, unable to stop staring. 

Hakkai's eyes were dark. "You," he said, stroking himself.

"Yeah? Good," Gojyo breathed. 

"And I want you to turn over," Hakkai said. 

Gojyo squirmed onto his stomach, mouth dry. He heard the clink of chain as Hakkai picked up the leash, felt the pull at his throat as Hakkai tugged gently, pulling him to his hands and knees. His cock pressed against Gojyo's ass. It felt enormous: thick and hot and hard. The collar slid up his neck, digging in under his chin and making it harder to breathe, just a little. 

"Ah-- it's tight," Gojyo gasped.

"I like you like this," Hakkai said, softly, rubbing himself against Gojyo, but he loosened his grip a little. 

He pushed himself back, felt the strain as Hakkai shortened the leash, pulling his head up. He breathed deep, dizzy with it. Hakkai slid his palm along Gojyo's shaft, stroking up and down, then dragged his nails lightly across his tight balls. Gojyo bit his lip but couldn't keep quiet. The soft, hoarse moans he was making sounded just like Fumi as he'd fucked her. Just like her. Hakkai draped himself over Gojyo's back and pressed his lips to Gojyo's ear.

"May I fuck you, please, Gojyo?" Hakkai whispered, pulling Gojyo's head back further, still very gentle, but unstoppable. The head of his cock nudged over Gojyo's hole, then slipped hot between his thighs, pressing against his balls. His spit-wet finger slid in, opening him up. "May I?" Hakkai breathed, pulling the leash tighter.

Gojyo was sure he could hear a breath of laughter in Hakkai's voice. Hakkai's finger started to move, in and out in an achingly slow tease. 

"Yeah. Yeah, please," he said.

"Stay like that," Hakkai said. 

Gojyo waited, head down and eyes closed, trying to breathe slow. Moments later Hakkai was back and Gojyo could hear the slick going on, then cool fingers slipping inside him, going fast and deep, stealing the breath from his lungs. It was almost too much. He didn't give Gojyo time to get his breath before he was sinking in. Gojyo pressed his face to the sheets and moaned, loud, his mouth open. He dug his fingers into the bedclothes, nearly wanting to crawl away. 

"Gojyo," Hakkai said, in a soft, shaky voice. "You'd better not move, or I'm going to come very quickly. I don't want that."

Hakkai stayed still and Gojyo began to tremble. Hakkai was pulsing inside him. He could feel it. He didn't dare move. Instead he just tried to breathe, letting his muscles relax, letting himself feel. Hakkai ran a hand along his spine, slow and warm.

"Touch yourself," he whispered. 

He could hardly wait. Balanced on one hand, Hakkai, pressed tight, skin to skin, he curled his palm around himself and began to stroke, quick and fast. The chain was digging into his hip were Hakkai was gripping too tight, but Hakkai was saying his name and moving faster, rocking into him and curving down over his body. 

He gave a faint moan as Hakkai stretching him wider, sinking in to the hilt and holding there, tight and hard and hot, deep inside. Gojyo let go of his aching cock and reached further, cupping Hakkai's balls, then sliding his fingers up to where he was sunk into Gojyo's body. He squeezed him tight. 

"Gojyo. Gojyo," Hakkai said, and his voice was suddenly high and strained. 

At the sound of it, desperate and needy, Gojyo clamped his hand back round his cock and began to jerk himself, hard. He was too hot, burning up with it inside as Hakkai began to move, holding him down now and fucking him in short, hard merciless strokes. 

Gojyo gave in and collapsed face down, burning cheek pressed to cool sheets, fingers of one hand scrabbling at the pillows as Hakkai adjusted his grip, shifting closer and driving him into the bed, his hips moving wildly until Gojyo couldn't think, could hardly breathe, could only feel Hakkai and the collar round his throat, Hakkai's collar that he'd bought only for Gojyo, so Gojyo knew who to come home to. 

He opened his eyes wide and spurted into his own slick palm, sweet and so sharp, almost painful. Hakkai's hand curled tight round his collar and the other buried itself in Gojyo's hair, holding him in place as Hakkai fucked him, saying his name low and hot, shoving in until he came, hard, wrapping his arms round Gojyo's chest, face pressed to his neck as his cock pulsed inside him.

They rocked together and the sound of their slowing breath filled the room. Hakkai slipped out of him after what seemed like a very long time, although Gojyo couldn't be sure because his brain didn't seem to be working very well. They collapsed onto the blankets, Hakkai pressed to his back, warm and heavy, until Gojyo's eyes were closing and he was on the edge of sleep. He didn't want to though, not yet. And anyhow, he was uncomfortably sticky. 

Hakkai's hands loosened and stroked over his back and arms, feather light as if he was worried Gojyo might notice. Those soft touches on his neck must be Hakkai's lips, Gojyo thought. The metal chain was skin-warm now. It was draped over his back, curling down between them. He smiled to himself.

Hakkai's fingers tugged carefully at the buckle for a few moments and Gojyo sighed when it came free. It made a faint metallic clink on the wood as Hakkai placed the collar and leash carefully on the nightstand. His neck felt bare without it, until Hakkai's fingers carefully traced the heated path where it had been. He turned over. 

"I'm sorry," Hakkai said, sounding so concerned that Gojyo had to smile.

"What for?" 

Hakkai's hands flattened on his chest, warming him.

"It really does suit you, you know," Hakkai said, after a few moments. 

"Yeah," said Gojyo. "It does."


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Avenger_pudding and everyone else who wanted to read about Gojyo in those socks that have individual spaces for each toe.

"What the hell are they?"

Gojyo held them up. They were stripey and tubular and at the end were five flappy things. The flappy things were each a different colour.

"Well, you see, they began as gloves… but the fingers came out too short."

"Too short?" 

"I don't why. But they'll be warm." 

Sometimes there was no telling the things Hakkai would get wrong, like knitting in a third leg for the-- thing-- he'd made for Hakuryuu last winter, which Hakuryuu had since buried in the garden. Hakkai had stopped his dog biscuit ration for days afterwards. 

Hakkai was smiling now, looking hopeful, gazing at the socks. Crap. He was probably going to have to wear these. 

"They're… unusual."

"Try them on," Hakkai said, then dropped to his knees and began unlacing Gojyo's boots. "There's a space for each toe!" he added.

"No! I mean, it's okay. I can do it."

"I wan to see you in them." It wasn't really a request. "Sit down

Gojyo was backed up to the sofa. 

"You're so weird, you know that?" he said, after a few moments of watching Hakkai deftly pulling off his boots. 

"Mmm."

Hakkai tugged the socks over his bare feet, smoothing them up over his calves. Gojyo let him. It was too late to stop him and, besides, seeing Hakkai on his knees in front of him wasn't so bad. He wiggled his separated toes and stretched his legs out to look at them. They felt strange, and came right up to his knees, but the wool was soft. He wiggled his toes again. Really, they felt kind of nice. 

"A perfect fit," Hakkai murmured, his hand stroking over the arch of Gojyo's foot. 

He stood up and walked about in them, tugging his trousers up to look down at his feet. Hakkai stayed where he was, watching. 

"Yeah, you could say that," he said, catching Hakkai's hand and tugging gently. "Come here."


	22. Ash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Grendelity. Prompt: Sanzo/Goku, pre-Journey, "ashes"

Face down, smothering in his pillow, he dreamed of the end of the world. Buildings like shards of diamonds clawed at the blackened sky. The earth moaned and shook, and there were no people. He was left alive, alone, standing in a rain of ashes that coated everything, turning the world into formless grey. 

There was no yellow sun and no green healing plants and no blood-red fire. And yet he lived. He knew why only he had survived. He did… he knew that. It was because he was… he was… the monkey… a monkey…

"Wake up." 

"Hnnh? Whaa?"

"Stupid monkey. Stop yelling."

"Oh Sanzo. Sanzo!" 

Sanzo's smelled of cigarettes, and Goku wound his arms round his neck and crushed him close. 

"Get off, stupid," Sanzo muttered into his ear, but his fingers were in Goku’s hair, stroking. His gold band tightened fractionally. "It was just a bad dream."


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Crystal_lilly: Gojyo/Hakkai, the color green.

It was Wednesday night, and the Mr Chen's hardware shop and catering supplies centre was busy. People crowded in, taking advantage of the cool evening to buy pounds of dried squid, bags of nails, vast iron cauldrons, plastic fly swats, rolls of fencing wire and other things that Gojyo couldn't even put a name to. The whole place smelled of glue and floor polish and dried fish. 

Gojyo wanted to be somewhere else. Anywhere else, even back in India. With beer. There were just too many things in this shop and Hakkai seemed to want to examine all of them. They'd killed enough youkai and travelled enough miles, had even made quite a bit of money on the way back, mainly from guest appearances at banquets and children's parties. If Hakkai now wanted to spend the remaining years of his life making tea and coffee for strangers, as well as tea and coffee for him and Sanzo and Goku, Gojyo wasn't about to stop him. Hakkai wanted his coffee shop. Gojyo was going to make damn well sure he got one.

He stalked behind him, hands stuffed in his pockets, keeping an eye on Hakkai's back in the throng. It was an old habit, and they died hard. 

"So, can we hire a waitress?" Gojyo asked, catching up with him in the crockery aisles. 

Hakkai kept on staring at the teacups, but Gojyo saw his smile. "I'm afraid we can't afford other staff. But I do think you'd look good in a uniform." 

"Me? No way," Gojyo said. But there wasn't much fire to his protest. "I get to pick it," he said. 

"Well, maybe," Hakkai said. 

He held up a blue cup and a green one, looking worried. "I can't decide. Which colour?"

They looked pretty much the same to him, except that the green one matched Hakkai's eyes perfectly. 

"Green," he said.


	24. Weapon of Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snippet for Lisa_bee: Gojyo, "disoriented". Inspired by an idea in Emungere's 'Cut Off'.

"Show me then," Hakkai said.

He was leaning against the back door. Gojyo stood in the middle of the backyard with bare feet and no shirt, wishing they hadn't got into this. He wanted to go inside and drink beer, read the paper, even wash the dishes. 

His arms bloomed tiny goosebumps and his hairs raised. When he looked down he saw that his nipples were hard too. He felt exposed under Hakkai's soft gaze. 

Hakkai shifted slightly and the door frame creaked. Right. Hakkai was waiting. 

"Is it hard?" Hakkai asked, sounding curious. 

"No! No. It's easy." 

And it was, even though he could count the times he'd done it on one hand. He just had to wish it and it was there, body-warm metal filling his palm and the slight, pleasing chink of oiled chain. The shakujou was as tall as him, taller, and looking up he moved it so the blade glinted in the sun. 

He grinned, but it faded when he saw Hakkai's face. Was that shock? Shock or-- lust. Hakkai had pushed himself away from the wall, his fingers were clenched, and Gojyo took a step back without even thinking about it. His fingers tightened and he has to loosen them with an effort. 

"Did you choose that," Hakkai said, "or-- or-- "

"Kind of," Gojyo said, thinking of his mother. 

"Show me," said Hakkai, again. 

The chain arched, glittering in the sunlight, as the blade soared and dipped like a swallow, for endless minutes, until Gojyo swayed, dizzy with it. Chains rattled in his ears along with his blood and in the middle of it all was Hakkai's upturned face, his eyes huge and wide. He was smiling, a beautiful, wide smile. 

"It's very good," Gojyo heard him say, and then the blade tips thudded into the door post next to Hakkai's hand. He reached out to touch, but Gojyo blinked, stomach flipping, and it was gone. 

"Sorry," Gojyo said. 

His knees shook and he sat straight down with a thump, legs folding under him. He shut his eyes and heard Hakkai's footsteps, then a hand on his shoulder, trembling just like he was.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Scribblemoose. Prompt: Gojyo/Hakkai and Hakkai singing.

"Why is he making that noise?" Sanzo said, glaring at Hakkai over his beer.

Hakkai was at the sink, singing, although calling it that was stretching a point. Occasionally he'd turn and toss brilliant smiles at Gojyo.

It wasn't normal. When Hakkai did housework, he liked them to know he was suffering, just a little. 

"I dunno," Gojyo said, looking away, but his lips were curving up. 

Sanzo eyed him silently. "What did you do?" he said, when Gojyo was red enough.

"Nothin'," Gojyo said. "Shut up."

They sat, listening to Hakkai; off key and loud. He sounded joyful. 

"Idiots."


	26. The Metamorphosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kappa turns into a coffee table. Kafka abuse contained within.

One morning, as Sha Gojyo woke from anxious dreams, he discovered he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug.

"As if this is anything new," said Sanzo, once he had been fetched from the temple. 

"It could be worse. You could be a centipede," said Hakkai. "Can you turn him back, Sanzo?"

"No."

"I really need a cigarette at this point," muttered Gojyo. 

"Is he edible?" asked Goku. 

"Get away," cried Gojyo. He scuttled away and wedged himself next to the sofa, scraping his handsome, shining wing case. 

"Actually, he does make rather a good coffee table," said Hakkai.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Kintail's birthday. Jeep ficlet.

He couldn't remember being born, although his favourite one said he had hatched from an egg. Probably. He had no brothers or sisters and no parent. Much like the two he lived with. It was good, because it meant his favourite one belonged only to him. Apart from when the red one had him. Like now. He swooped and landed on the red one's shoulder and sank his claws in. He was deeply satisfied to see welling pinpricks of blood on bare skin.

'Lazy good for nothing man! You don't deserve him,' Jeep hissed in his ear. Then, when the red one cried out and batted him away wildly, 'I'm watching you. Don't forget it.'

'Ow! You little shit. Hakkai, stop laughing.'

'He's doing no real harm.'

'He's harming me.'

The red one scowled at him and Jeep easily dodged the object he flung his way, quickly identified as a sock. Graceless, Jeep thought. And undeserving. Anger inflamed his heart and he wished for bigger claws, for breath equal to a mighty gust of wind, so he could drive this wholly unsuitable red-eyed creature far away, to the other side of the world. And besides, it was dinnertime and he was hungry and his favourite one should get up and give him meat. 

'You do know it's weird, letting him watch. It's like he gets-- overexcited or somethin'.' 

'I don't let him do anything. He's very independent. Like someone else in this room I could mention. In fact... ' and his favourite one rolled the other over and pinned him down, which shut him up, Jeep was pleased to see. '... there are distinct similarities between the two of you.'

'He's nothing like me!' Jeep shouted, but they only glanced his way and then didn't take any further notice. 

'Oh yeah?' and there was a meaning in their voices he couldn't grasp: affection and annoyance and a thread of hot excitement. 'There's one big difference, Hakkai.'

'Is that so?'

Jeep squinted at them. His favourite one made sounds like it hurt to touch, but it was plain he wanted to and liked it, even. The hot scent of salt and sweat made him crane closer, despite himself. 

Maybe there was some good in it. Maybe stupid red-eyes wasn't all bad. Just mostly.

Jeep's neck drooped and he fluttered away to perch on the window ledge. Perhaps if he ignored them. He looked up at the sky and the scudding clouds and pressed his nose to the cold glass. It would be good to fly up there, to circle about and perhaps catch a fish from the river; maybe he could even follow that winding silver ribbon out to where-- to where-- he wasn't sure. Dimly he imagined a huge grey shimmering lake, bigger than any lake he'd ever seen and full of things to eat. It would be easy to fly away. It wasn't like he ever got fed on time. 

Over his shoulder he could hear them murmuring and his favourite one was saying silly things that made no sense. The red one's fault. Jeep huffed out a breath and settled his head under his wing. Better to stay here and make sure nothing bad happened. After what seemed like a very long time they stopped making noise. He fluttered over and curled up at his favourite one's shoulder, snuffing in pleasure at the warm touch of his skin, then fell asleep and dreamed of fish.


	28. The Far Side of the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Thefourthvine, who wanted a Good Omens/Saiyuki crossover, with the prompt: 'Anything. I don't care.' 
> 
> Aziraphale and Crowley follow a band of miscreants.

'Why have we got to walk?' Crowley said, again. 

His feet were sore and whoever thought that nasty, scratchy straw rope was a good material for flip-flops? Nice soft leather was much more comfortable. He looked down at his feet as his brand new leather boots materialised and smiled. Aziraphale, he noticed, was wearing embroidered felt boots with nice squishy looking soles. 'They've got a car. Why can't we have a car?' he went on, thinking of something large and comfortable with padded seats and possibly walnut trim.

'We've been through this,' Aziraphale sighed. 'It's not a car. It's a transforming dragon.'

'Same difference,' Crowley said. It was an improvement on horses, at any rate. 

'In any case cars haven't been invented yet,' Aziraphale went on. 

Crowley yanked at his sash angrily. It just didn't seem to want to stay put on his shoulder. His chocolate brown novice's robe was hot and carried a faint tang of sheep. The foot of it was stained with red dust from the endless miles of sandstone road they'd covered. Aziraphale looked far cooler in his long white robes. He even had a sutra draped over his shoulders. It was purely for show, of course, but at least it got them better beds. In theory, Crowley could walk forever, but now he let his legs ache just to put himself in worse temper. It would serve Aziraphale right. 

They'd been following the four of them for weeks-- 'those poor unfortunate boys', as Aziraphale insisted on calling them, although Crowley didn't see what was so unfortunate about a monk with a gun and an attitude problem, a redhead with a deathwish and mass of whirling blades, a madman who was even more polite than Aziraphale, not forgetting the teenager who also happened to be one of the most powerful beings ever to walk the earth and who was, incidentally, only kept in check by a sodding tiara. Aziraphale hadn't explained those parts, oh no. Unfortunate didn't even begin to cover it. Demented, more like. These people embraced violence like it was going out of style. The karmic fallout alone was beginning to give him a serious headache. 

Disaster trailed behind them like a cloud and even Aziraphale was losing his enthusiasm for the trip. Crowley had been talked into it expecting a bit of a pleasant holiday and plenty of lazing about eating nice food, with added good conversation. He hadn't signed up for tracking four lunatics through endless terrain. 'We'll just to keep on eye on things', Aziraphale had said. 'From a distance. It'll be a nice change.' The lying angel. 

'Can't we just bugger off? They can quite clearly look after themselves.' 

'That's not the point. They need spiritual guidance,' Aziraphale said, clasping his hands. 'The fate of the world may rest with them.'

Right. As if Aziraphale wasn't here for the sake and sunshine.

'And? Nothing to do with me. I'm only here for the cuisine.' 

'Yes,' Aziraphale said, his face contorting into a horrible smug smile. 'I expect you're looking forward to going back to your desk job.' 

There was a short silence while Crowley spent some time sulking and Aziraphale examined his fingernails. 

'I hate you,' Crowley said, eventually. 'Okay,' and Aziraphale beamed at him.

'Well, now that' settled… There's an inn coming up,' Aziraphale said, sighing happily. 'Would you like to stop for the night?'

'As long as we can eat something that doesn't involve cucumbers, beans or yams, yeah,' Crowley said. 'And I hope you're paying,' he snapped. 

Aziraphale's stomach gurgled audibly. Served him right for suggesting that they posed as Buddhist priests, Crowley thought, and smirked. With all the walking and the rabbit food, Aziraphale was looking healthier than usual, but his sunny smile was far less evident. 

'I'm quite sure it's your turn,' Aziraphale said, then, 'Oh. Oh dear.'

They had turned a bend in the road to find a green Jeep parked crosswise, blocking the path. The 'poor unfortunate boys' were sitting in it, clearly waiting for them. 

'I thought you said they'd never notice us,' Crowley hissed. 

'I-- may have been wrong,' said Aziraphale, and Crowley rolled his eyes. 

'So, now what?' Crowley muttered. 

'Let's just play it by ear. They're harmless enough fellows.'

'Are you insane?' Crowley said, but Aziraphale was smiling stonily ahead.

'Can we help you?' called the polite mad one, with a bright smile. 

'Not likely,' Crowley muttered, flinching despite himself.

The monk cocked his gun.

'What the hell do you want with us?'

'Why, nothing at all,' said Aziraphale, in his most placating manner. 'We are but two peaceful monks travelling to the West. I am, um, Aziraphale Sanzo and this is my disciple-- '

'Watch it,' Crowley hissed.

'-- Reverend Crowley.'

'You don't have a chakra,' the monk said. 

'He's a-- a heretic,' Crowley supplied, feeling it was time he had some input. Aziraphale tutted next to him.

There was a thump as the all-powerful teenager leapt from the car and thudded into the dust in front of it.

'D'ya think they're really who they say they are?' the kid asked. He snuffed the air in a beastlike way that reminded Crowley far too much of home. His real home. 'They smell weird.' 

'In what way?' the madman said. He was already climbing out of his seat, straightening his tunic as he did so. 

'Of-- nuthin'.'

'Oh dear,' the madman said, and his voice chimed perfectly with Aziraphale's. 

They smiled at each other and Crowley took an involuntary step backwards. 

'Not more friggin' shikigamis,' the redhead said, flicking his cigarette butt away. 'At least they could’ve sent better ones than this. Do they look kinda half-baked to you?' 

'Excuse me-- ' Aziraphale began, sticking his nose in the air. 

'Look. We know you're following us, morons,' the monk said. 'We might as well kill you now. I can't be bothered to argue.' 

'It would save time,' the madman agreed.

'Yeah,' the teenager scowled. 'An' I don't want to waste time on them when I could be eatin'.'

The monk sat back and tucked his gun back into his voluminous sleeves and the others seemed to take it as their cue for action. The tall red-haired man sprang from the back seat. 

'You take the scrawny one, Goku. The chubby one's mine.' 

A metal staff flashed into his hand and Crowley picked up a faint dry acrid scent that made him want to sneeze, like a cross between ectoplasm and smelted steel.

'I'm big boned!' Aziraphale said, indignantly. 'Your mother clearly never taught you manners, Sha Gojyo. Among other things.'

'What the hell did you just say?' Sha Gojyo said. His eyes drooped to evil slits. 

Crowley found himself reluctantly impressed, but he didn't have time to dwell on it because the teenager was bounding towards him and the words 'sage with powers greater than heaven' clanged through his mind like a fire bell, making it hard to think about anything except how to avoid getting beaten to a pulp. 

'Um, perhaps we should employ plan B,' Aziraphale gasped, stumbling backwards and catching hold of a silver blade with both hands, just as it sliced through the air near his face. 'Ow. Bother.' 

'Which is?' Crowley said, dodging a blow and nearly dislocating his back in the process. 

'Hey, that's not bad,' the teenager shouted, enthusiastically. 

'Er, what was the question again?' Aziraphale said, leaping backwards to avoid the hissing ball of light that the madman had thrown. Crowley felt a hot breeze on his face as it flared passed and shivered, despite himself. But he didn't have time to worry about it because the demented kid was charging again, cracking him on the shoulder this time. He heard and felt something break. Bugger. There was no way he was spending a decade in requisition waiting for a new body to come through. He flung out his arm and backhanded the kid across the road, taking him by surprise. Aziraphale was remonstrating politely with the others, tied up as he was in chains and buffeted by blasts of light that ruffled his hair back from his forehead. 

'My, they're certainly hard to kill, aren't they?' the madman said. 

The kid leapt up and then wide golden eyes met his and Crowley's heart sank. He looked happy, joyful even. In the background he heard the redhead laughing at something the madman was saying. He dodged backwards, just managing to miss a blow that would have crushed his skull. 

'Aziraphale! Do something.'

'What?'

'Anything. I don't care!'

'Oh, all right.' Aziraphale stood upright and seemed to get taller and his chest broader. White light framed him, shimmering like a halo and Crowley had to avert his eyes in pain. The chains dropped of him, making Sha Gojyo stumble. 'I really didn't want it to come to this,' Aziraphale said, with a cold little smile. 

Their weapons vanished, flashing out of existence. Goku fell to the ground, unconscious, and the redhead stumbled backwards, his eyes wide. In the Jeep the monk was scrabbling for a gun that wasn't there, and then for a sutra that was fluttered into Aziraphale's palm and rolled up tight. The polite madman had frozen, halfway towards them. His eyes slewed round to the redhead in fear. 

'What did you do?' the monk hissed, his eyes flicking between the unconscious kid and Aziraphale. 'Give it back, or you're dead.' He leapt up and Crowley made a movement with his fingers. The monk froze in place. They all did. 

'You're very violent,' Crowley said. 'I like that in a holy man.'

'I'm going to shoot you as soon as I get free.'

'You can't harm us, Genjo Sanzo,' Aziraphale said with a touch of impatience. 

'Why not?' Genjo Sanzo didn't sound like he was at all convinced. 

'If I told you I'd have to kill you,' Crowley said, wandering over to the kid and prodding him with his toe. He sighed and Crowley heard a faint mutter, something about meat buns. 

'Leave him alone,' Sanzo growled. 

'He's perfectly fine,' Aziraphale said. 'He's having a lovely dream-- '

'Pardon me, but can we move this along, please?' the mad one said, meeting Aziraphale's eyes with a sharp green gaze. He showed his teeth. 'It's somewhat troublesome to be frozen in place like this.'

Aziraphale's set his jaw in a mulish way that Crowley recognised as bad news. 'Of course, Cho Hakkai,' Aziraphale said, with a prim little smile. 'Just as soon as you understand that you or your charming friend,' and he nodded Gojyo, 'are not going to disembowel us.' 

Cho Hakkai gazed back, steady and cold although he looked a little pale. 'We can't promise anything of the sort, I'm afraid.'

'I still think they're shikigamis,' Gojyo said, huffing. 'Crappy ones, too.'

'You know, it's times like this that make me wonder why I even bother,' Aziraphale said, twirling the sutra in one hand.

'How can we possibly know you mean us no harm?' said Hakkai.

Crowley sucked on his bottom lip. His stomach made an audible gurgling sound. Tempting a monk would look good on his yearly review, and he'd be able to claim the expenses back.

'How about if we buy you dinner?' he said. 

 

***

Crowley watched in horrified fascination at the mountain of food that disappeared down Goku's gullet. He didn't even have to exert any wiles - amazing. He was now putting away banana sundae at a faster rate than even Aziraphale could manage. Crowley sat back and relaxed. His work here was done-- or rather, he hadn't had to do any in the first place. Everyone already ate and drank and gambled too much. Sha Gojyo lusted after bodies left right and centre. Quite literally, Crowley thought, sliding his gaze at Hakkai, who appeared rather pink and possibly slightly less insane than this afternoon. 

Crowley watched Aziraphale attempting to make conversation with the monk. They should sell tickets, Crowley thought, grinning, as Sanzo shot him a hot glare. Genjo Sanzo was a thing of beauty: violent, impatient, angry and unfailingly rude. The only thing that tarnished it, as Crowley had been annoyed to discover, was that he loved his companions. 

'So, who did send you?' Goku asked, leaning in and speaking in a low voice. 

Crowley met those strange yellow eyes. They were wide and open and Crowley could almost smell the honesty in them. He could practically taste the devotion that seemed to almost seep out of the kid's pores. It stuck in his throat. He could see someone else too, behind those eyes: someone that shrieked with violence and cunning. He swallowed, finding it quite hard to speak. Sanzo was watching them. 

'Don't ask,' Crowley said. 'You don't want to meet them, trust me.' 

'Why? Are they bad?'

Crowley nodded. He didn't know what his bosses would make of Goku, but it wouldn't be anything very good. 

What a terrible life they all led. He comforted himself with that thought for a few moments, before it struck him that, now, together and safe for the night, they were happy. 

Better leave them as they were.


	29. Years After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanzo & Goku and being together.

Seven years after they first set out they came back, jouncing slowly along in Jeep, who was a lot less committed to his motorised form than he had been. Sometimes they had to wait for days for him to decide to change. Hakkai drove as erratically as ever. Sanzo pursed his lips.

They'd been quiet in the back now for such a long time that Sanzo craned round to look. Gojyo had his arm slung over Goku's shoulder. 

Goku and Gojyo didn't fit so easily in the back together now, because Goku's legs were a foot longer and his shoulders were as broad as Gojyo's, but they sprawled against each other with the familiarity of people who knew everything about the other and had decided not to let what they knew bother them. Goku was saying something long and involved in Gojyo's ear, the words lost over the growl of Jeep's engine. Gojyo nodded now and then. 

'It's nice to see them not bickering at last, isn't it, Sanzo?' Hakkai said. His don't-cause-me-any-trouble smile was plastered all over his face. 

'It saves on the earache,' Sanzo said. 

He slumped back against his seat and closed his eyes, still seeing Goku's face. He couldn't remember when they'd stopped shouting at each other and begun acting as if they liked each other. Sanzo had forgotten to notice. 

Goku's hair was long and it was flickering madly in the wind when Sanzo turned to look at them again. He couldn't stop himself. They were still talking, leaning together just like friends did, Sanzo assumed. He didn't know much about it. Gojyo was busy making some gesture with his hands and talking quickly when he noticed Sanzo looking. 

'What?' he said. 'Take a picture, it'll last longer.' 

'Something wrong, Sanzo?' Goku said.

'No,' he muttered and turned away. 

*

 

Goku was walking in front with Gojyo, carrying the shopping, and, surprisingly, the shopping list.

'Goku really is growing up, isn't he?' Hakkai said, with a little sigh.

He looked almost sad and Sanzo found himself inexplicably annoyed.  
'What did you expect? He's not going to stay the same forever.'

'I'm well aware of that, Sanzo,' Hakkai said. 

'Hey, you, don't forget my 200 Marlboro reds,' Sanzo called out.

'It's on my list, Sanzo,' Goku said.

He and Gojyo strode off, shoulder to shoulder in the crowd, matching steps and catching the smiles of pretty girls all along the street. One of them caught Goku round the waist and kissed him. The laughter of her friends rose above the crowd like the chatter of starlings and Sanzo's mouth opened in shock when Goku leant in to kiss her in return.

'Don't worry,' Hakkai said in his ear. 

'Why the hell would I be worried?' 

Hakkai nodded. 'A very sensible attitude. He's been managing all the shopping-- and other things-- for some time now, Sanzo,' Hakkai said, watching him. 'I assume that's what you wanted to know? It's true you've been too busy to notice, of course. I quite understand. I'm sure Goku does too.' 

'That damn kappa's leading him astray.'

'On the contrary, I believe Gojyo has provided Goku with much invaluable advice on matters that perhaps you and I are not so, ah, well-versed in.'

Sanzo couldn't think of a single answer to that. 

*

 

They only had two rooms at the inn, and Hakkai very quickly tugged Gojyo away with him, leaving Goku smiling a little nervously. 

Sanzo expected him to wander off with Gojyo after dinner, but he didn't. Instead he came back to their room and lay on the bed while Sanzo smoked and read his newspaper. But Goku's silent presence crawled all over him and filled the room until he could hardly breathe. He slapped his paper down on the bed.

Sanzo?' Goku said, 'are you all right?' 

'Don't ask idiot questions,' he said. 

'Does that mean yes or no?'

Goku's eyes glinted with a sharp, adult humour that he couldn't recall seeing before.

'If you think I'm suddenly going to start acting like I'm your best friend, you're wrong,' Sanzo said.

'What? I never thought that.'

'Then what are you here for?' Sanzo said.

'I don't know what-- where else would I be?' 

'Out there,' Sanzo said, gesturing with his head towards the window.

'Why?'

'You should be out there, not stuck in here with me, you moron. Go away. Go chasing girls with that damned kappa if that's what makes you happy.' 

'I don't wanna do that,' Goku said, blinking.

They sat facing each other across the narrow gap between the beds. Sanzo's stomach clenched in on itself and his fingers were icy. He remembered Goku's childish face, round and plump as a meat bun, and how he'd sworn never to never abandon him. It was still true but now Goku was old enough to leave. 

'I never asked you to stay with me,' Sanzo said. 'Just so you know, I never will.'   
He heard Goku's sharp, indrawn breath and the sound in his throat as he swallowed. 

'I'm not going anywhere,' Goku said. 'I promise,' he said, softly. 

The words rang in the silence like he'd yelled them.

'Whatever. Make your own decision. You're not a child anymore.'

Goku stood up. This close, he loomed over Sanzo. Sanzo forced himself not to look up and then gasped in shock as arms wrapped round him, tight. His face was pressed into Goku's shoulder. He smelled soapy. He must've washed before dinner. It was hard to get free and his arms ended up wound around Goku's neck and he could hear the steady thud-thud of both their hearts. He wondered why his eyes were stinging.

'Thank you,' Goku whispered in his ear, and there was a warm puff of breath on his cheek and then the touch of lips there too, very briefly, so gentle he hardly could feel it. 'I'll come back,' Goku said, 'always,' and then he left. 

 

Ten Years

In the spring, when the cherry trees in the temple compound were flowering, Goku climbed up and let himself be taken back to his childhood, centuries ago. He wasn't sure how merciful the Goddess had been, letting him remember Heaven when the others didn't. He'd never told them. 

Konzen had been so beautiful. Goku remembered warm arms and the scent of rose water, gentler and colder than cigarette smoke and the stinging tip of a paper fan, although he hadn't felt the latter in years. Konzen was as different to Sanzo as a dried fig was to a ripe plum. He leant his head back against the rough bark and his mouth watered at the thought; Sanzo burned up the air around him. He soaked up earthly cares until he rang with them, feeling everything too strongly, even if he pretended not to. Konzen hadn't been like that, at least not until the last. 

Goku tried to imagine Sanzo in the spotless lavender-coloured silk that Konzen had always worn and the idea made him smile. It would never suit him. When they put Sanzo in the ceremonial robes once a year, a many-layered festooning of green brocade, orange wool with red braid, and stiff white silk, Goku could hardly stand to watch Sanzo swathed in all that fake finery without reaching out to pull it off. 

Sanzo flouted temple custom by giving him a room, even though it was on the other side of the grounds to Sanzo's. Often, when he wasn't off causing trouble, as Sanzo put it, he'd scrunch along the raked gravel paths in the evenings to sit with Sanzo on the wooden bench outside his rooms. Sanzo did that every night, even when it was cold. 

'What are you staring at, monkey?' Sanzo said, one evening. 

It had been a warm day but now the air was cooling. Small brown birds flitted in the shrubs and sang their last song before dark.

The rays of the setting sun were in Sanzo's eyes, making him squint a little. Rosy light made his face glow, smoothing out the fine lines that travelling had put there. There was no grey in his hair yet and his body was strong and lithe. He was thirty three.

'Mmmh?' Goku said, his chin in his hand. He smiled, but didn't take his gaze away. He drank in everything. It was never enough. 

'You. Gawking at me. Stop it.'

Goku waited just long enough for Sanzo to be off his guard. 

'I was just thinking about how pretty you used to be,' he said. 

Sanzo looked up, slow and sharp. 

'What? Like I care-- '

'But it's okay,' Goku cut him off, watching Sanzo's eyes darken and his lips fall open a little. 'Now, I've thought about it, you're not pretty at all.'

He hugged to himself the thought that Sanzo was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. It glowed inside, keeping him warm.

Sanzo scowled, shook his head and turned away, but not before Goku saw the edges of his lips curling up in a smile. Goku sat back and grinned, wanting to laugh out loud for no reason but happiness. He could have this tomorrow and the day after, and every day after that, if he wanted. Life was here.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanzo/Gojyo. 'They have to have sex to escape'. This fic involves sex in a giant energy bubble.

Gojyo flung his chain hard, grunting. It snapped out, quick as snake, but the blade bounced off and sent them all scattering as it swooped back down to earth.

Goku tried next. He turned nyoi-bo into an enormous pole and vaulted up to smash his feet against it. He tumbled back and landed with a thud and a yelp. 

Hakkai concentrated his qi for long minutes, until the air smelled hot and dry like noon on a summer's day and blood flowed over his lip. He folded gracefully to his knees with a sigh and mopped his face. 

They'd woken up with it over them, huge, shimmering and apparently indestructible. The bubble did nothing, apart from swirl with pretty iridescent sparkles, looking innocent.

'We're trapped,' said Goku. 

'I'm not letting a friggin-- bubble get the better of me,' Gojyo yelled up at it. 

They all stared as it flared a deep angry red.

'What can we do, Sanzo?' Hakkai asked. 

Sanzo studied its fragile-looking walls. 

'I think it likes us,' he said. 

'What on earth do you mean?' said Hakkai. 

Sanzo huffed out a sigh. 'Goku,' he said. 'Yell at it.' 

'Huh? Why?'

'Just do it,' Sanzo said. 

'Okay. Er. You pesky bubble!' Goku called. 'Is this right?' 

Sanzo nodded. 

'We hate you! You're very annoying!' The bubble shivered and flushed a pale orange. His voice grew louder. 'You're a stupid bubble!' It quivered and rich colours pulsed across its surface. 'Go away. I want breakfast!'

'What, it likes being insulted?' Gojyo said. 

'Not exactly,' Sanzo said. 'But for once you're not being quite as idiotic as you look.'

'Ah. I think I see,' Hakkai. 'It's an energy being that feeds off our anger. How very clichéd,' he called up to it. 

The bubble rippled green and silver. 

'I think you upset it,' Gojyo said, leaning on his shoulder. 'I've seen bigger bubbles than you in the bath,' he shouted. Deep red light played over their faces for a moment, until it calmed down. 

'We can't just stand here calling it names,' Goku said. 'Won't the air run out eventually?' 

'No, it's a gas-permeable membrane,' Sanzo said, and his shoulders sagged. 

He wondered briefly if he could Makai Tenjyo it to death. The sutra twitched on his shoulders in a perky way. He hated it when it did that. 

'We could try to be very calm until it gets bored and leaves,' Hakkai suggested. He looked at Goku and Gojyo. 'Or perhaps not. Perhaps it might leave if we try being happy at it?' Sanzo and Gojyo looked at him with twin scowls. 'Ah. Right. Goku. Think of meat buns,' Hakkai went on, a little desperately. 'An endless supply of fresh ones, and toffee apples too, and melon.' 

'Mmm,' Goku said, blissfully. The air around them made a small popping noise as the bubble lifted a fraction off the ground.

'It works!' Gojyo said. 

'But now I'm really hungry,' Goku wailed. 

The bubble fell once more, sealing them in with a faint clang like that of a large silver bell. 

'It works a little, but it seems we need something more sustained,' Hakkai said. 

'Unfortunately, you're right,' said Sanzo.

'Do you know a way to get rid of it, Sanzo?' said Hakkai.

Sanzo was silent for a long time. 'Yes,' he muttered, eventually. 'But I really don't want to try it.' 

'Why not? Is it dangerous magic?' Gojyo said. 

'Not exactly,' Sanzo said.

'It doesn't involve me again does it?' Goku said, backing off.

'Absolutely not!'

'Then what is it ?' said Hakkai. 'What's wrong? Sanzo, why are you going red?' 

'It's sex magic,' Sanzo said, sullenly. 

The other three took a step back. 

'Oh, my. How very drastic.' 

'Holy shit.' 

'Eww!'

A silence fell. The bubble rippled in slow swirls of gold and green and red, but mostly violet.

'I'm assuming one of the, ah, couple has to be you, Sanzo,' Hakkai said. 

Sanzo nodded, looking away. 

'Not you,' he snapped, pointing blindly in Goku's direction. 'Hakkai, not you either.' 

Hakkai raised his brows.

'You're just too weird.'

'I quite understand,' Hakkai said. 

Above their heads the bubble darkened dangerously, a stormy sea green. Gojyo was staring at Sanzo with his mouth open.

'But that only leaves me,' Gojyo said.

'Yes. So?'

'I mean, I know I'm irresistible and everything-- ' 

'I don't want to, but I prefer it to being trapped in here with you for the rest of my life. Only just, though,' Sanzo said, fiercely. 

'Yeah, you tell yourself that.'

The bubble quivered like a large violet jelly as Sanzo raised his gun. 

'But - I don't do guys!'

'You do now!'

'I haven't got any condoms,' Gojyo said, in a small voice. 

'Here,' said Hakkai, handing one over as Gojyo gaped at him. 'Well, you never know,' he said. 

'Tell me when you're gonna start, because I need to block my ears,' Goku said, turning away. He looked pale. 

'I'll let you know,' Hakkai said, patting him on the shoulder. 

'You're not watching,' Sanzo said to him. 

'I don't mind. I'm just sayin',' Gojyo said, when Sanzo rolled his eyes.

'Come along, Goku,' Hakkai said, sparing a glance and a small smile at Gojyo, and led him off to the edge of the bubble. 

It was an odd kind of privacy, now the others had their backs turned.

'You have to come closer, moron,' Sanzo snapped, after they'd stared at each other for a while.

'You come closer. This is freakin' typical. I bet you make me do all the work. Ow!' 

Sanzo put his fan away. He didn't look at Gojyo, but began unbuttoning his jeans under his robe. He pulled them off and threw them aside. 'What?' he asked, rudely. 

'Aren't you going to take the rest off?' 

'Are you joking?' 

'At least the sutra. It's creepy.' 

Sanzo rubbed at his temples. 'Fool. I have to keep it on for the magic to work,' he explained. 

Gojyo nodded. 'Okay.' He'd stopped grinning and now he just looked worried. He took his jacket off and dropped it on the floor, then stepped closer and raised his hands. 'Where shall I, um… ' 

'Anywhere. It doesn't matter.'

Gojyo laid his hands very lightly on Sanzo's waist. Sanzo shivered as his fingers tightened and Gojyo drew him closer until their hips were pressing lightly together. 'Is this okay?' Gojyo asked, looking down into his eyes. 

'Hmph. I suppose I get to see if all your pathetic bragging is true,' Sanzo muttered. 'I doubt it.'

'I'm better, baby,' Gojyo said, his confidence growing. That wasn't all. 

'Shut up.'

Sanzo breathed in the smell of cigarettes and leather. Gojyo leaned in nearer and his hands slid up Sanzo's back, flat and warm through his robes. Sanzo tilted his face up without really planning to and, it seemed almost by accident, with noses bumping, their mouths touched. 

Gojyo's lips were incredibly soft, and cool and then hotter as their mouths slid together, slow, then quicker. This was necessary, he told himself, to get free. The bubble keened unhappily and Sanzo soaked up its energy as it flowed around them, making him dizzy. The sutra was jumping up and down on his shoulders in excitement, fluttering. It was very distracting, but Gojyo didn't seem to notice. Their kisses grew deeper and deeper, wetter, promising more. His hands reached out by themselves to fumble at Gojyo's belt.

'What?' Gojyo mumbled. 'What do we do now?' He sounded like he'd run a mile. 

'Just, you know, with hands,' Sanzo said meaningfully.

'What about the condom?' Gojyo's hands were tugging Sanzo's robe apart. They slipped inside, sliding round the curve of his thighs and his buttocks. 

'I don't think we're going to need it,' Sanzo said. 

Around them the walls of the bubble twisted and writhed. The force of it was making his hair rise and his muscles tremble. Gojyo shook against him. His red eyes were heavily lidded and sultry and having them turned on him was unnerving, so close he could see the sweep and curl of his thick black lashes. His knees gave and he wished he had a wall to lean on, then it occurred to him that Gojyo would do just as well. He yanked at Gojyo's zip, hating his fingers for shaking. 

'Oh,' Gojyo murmured, taking Sanzo's weight. One arm slid tight around Sanzo's waist, and the other-- Sanzo gasped, and then everything went spinning away and he buried his face in Gojyo's shoulder, moaning and quite unable to stop as his hand closed round hot silky flesh. 

'Fuck, fuck. Lie down,' Gojyo panted in his ear a short while later, or at least it seemed a short time, but he kept losing track. Blood thrummed in his ears. Then they were tumbling over and he was on his back, gazing up at the dome, which seemed miles away. Gojyo lay half on top of him, kissing him and stroking him hard, grinding his erection against his bare thigh. Sanzo tried to coordinate his hand to move properly but it didn't seem to matter because Gojyo was groaning in his ear like he was dying, clutching him and shaking. 

'Not yet,' Sanzo stuttered. The sutra was wrapping itself around him like twining arms and if he could just hold off another minute, it was all he needed, but it was hard, so very hard. He'd never tell Gojyo but he was so good, so good like this, his hot breath and moans and kisses. He sucked in a steadying breath and began to chant and even as he spoke the first sounds there was a flash and scream, and then everything went white. The world faded away. 

When Sanzo woke up, Gojyo was unconscious on his chest, face down. Hakkai was bending over them, peering. 

'It's gone,' Hakkai said. 'That was impressive, by the way.' He didn't specify what. 

'Gah,' Sanzo said. He swallowed. 'I meant, go away.' Hakkai stood up. 'And get off me.' He shoved at Gojyo, who tumbled off onto the grass and lay limp. 

Hakkai passed him a handkerchief. 

'Have they finished the perverted stuff?' Goku called. He was wearing a blindfold made of his own scarf and had his fingers in his ears. 

'It's all over,' Hakkai called, cheerfully slapping Gojyo's face-- to wake him up Sanzo supposed. It didn't work. 

'Ah, hey,' Gojyo slurred, dreamily, then fell asleep in Hakkai's arms. They had to carry him to the car and prop him up in the back. 

'What did ya do to him?' Goku said. 

'It's a Holy secret. If I divulged I'd have to kill you. I might anyway,' Sanzo said, and lit a cigarette. It only trembled very slightly in his fingers. 

'It's true your Buddhist powers are very advanced, but I'd never have thought you'd be so skilled in that area, Sanzo,' Hakkai said. 'I'm very surprised.' 

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Ah, nothing at all.'


	31. Longing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthday ficlet for Cicer. Hakkai/Gojyo

The kitchen was very dingy. Years of neglect showed in the peeling paintwork and the kitchen table was scarred from Gojyo's many late night battles with alcohol and cigarettes. Hakkai took him out one day and spent Gojyo's poker winnings on pots of new paint, varnish and sandpaper, then put Gojyo to work. 

'Hey, why am I doing all the hard stuff?' Gojyo said, sweating over the table. He pulled his vest off and wiped off the dust that was sticking to his arms.

Looking over his shoulder he saw Hakkai was watching him. He was leaning against the kitchen counter, dabbing intermittently at the wall above the fridge with a brush. Hakkai smiled. 

'They're your cigarette burns,' Hakkai said, happily. 

'Yeah, but this crap's not coming off,' Gojyo complained, over his shoulder. 'This sucks. If you wanna do it, do it yourself,' he said.

'Can't you see what you're doing wrong?' Hakkai said, gently, coming up behind him. 'No, don't move. I can show you exactly what to do,' he said. 

Gojyo jumped as Hakkai's arm slipped around his waist. His hand rested on Gojyo's hand, very lightly. Gojyo could sense his body just millimetres away. It was just a tease. Hakkai's hand slid up Gojyo's wrist, trailing fingers up to his elbow and back down, letting his short nails drag a little. Just a tease.

'It's very easy. Just rub harder.' He moved Gojyo's hand with his own, back and forth. 'See, it's coming off,' Hakkai said, sounding very reasonable, right in his ear. Gojyo closed his eyes. He was beginning to get hard. 'Although you might want to bend over a little further, Gojyo,' Hakkai murmured.

Gojyo shivered and forgot about sanding. His hand only kept moving because Hakkai was guiding it. Hakkai moved, very slightly, pressing his full weight against Gojyo's buttocks, pinning him to the table. There was a very definite bulge there, behind him. Gojyo simply couldn't look round.

'Is this what you wanted, Gojyo?' Hakkai whispered in his ear.

It was. How did Hakkai know? He wanted Hakkai in him, on top of him, wanted him everywhere, all the time. He could hardly bring himself to admit how much. Hakkai never asked for more than he got when Gojyo groped him in the dark silently, with willing hands and mouth. Gojyo would never let himself say it, had never suggested they should do it. They didn't ever discuss it. Gojyo thought he'd be the one to do the fucking, even if it wasn't exactly what he wanted, if the subject ever arose. Like now. His face was burning and his heart began beating so fast he was sure he could hear it over his breathing, a gentle thump-thump in his ribcage. He thought of the times, alone, he'd touched himself, one finger or two buried inside himself, gripped by that incredible, fluttering heat and imagining it was Hakkai inside him. He realised his legs were trembling.

Hakkai's hips pressed him up close to the table. Bending was awkward like that, but he did, Hakkai's other hand helpfully pressing between his shoulder blades. He stopped when the tips of his hair pooled on the dusty surface.

'Like this?' Gojyo whispered, his face burning. 

'Exactly like that,' Hakkai said.

Hakkai leaned right over him then and swept the table clean with one violent stroke. Everything clattered to the floor. Hakkai slipped his hands under the waistband of the baggy cotton shorts Gojyo didn't mind getting paint on, and slid them down over his hips, exposing him. Gojyo stretched further, long and lithe across the table until he was flat against it, pressing his erection against the wood, and then he waited, dizzy from the blood pounding through his head. 

For long moments all he heard was Hakkai's breathing, then warm palms smoothed over his ass and up over his back, squeezing firm muscle, fingers whispering down between his buttocks to stroke his balls. Then the hands went and Hakkai's weight was fully on his back, holding him down. Hakkai moaned and moved his hair so he could kiss the back of his neck. Then he bit sharply down. 

'I like you like this,' Hakkai sighed, 'very much. Do you like it too?'

'Uhn,' he managed; nothing more coherent would come out.

Gojyo felt hands fumbling behind him and then he heard the clank and jingle of Hakkai's belt buckle and the rough slide of cotton on skin as Hakkai pushed his trousers off. Hakkai swooped down to suck the back of his neck again and then slid his naked, hard length to lie tight and perfect between Gojyo's cheeks. 

'Hakkai,' he said, and it was almost a groan. He arched, rubbing back against him. Hakkai pulled away, breathing hard and then he was gone and cold air washed over Gojyo's back. 'Hakkai?'

'Suck me,' Hakkai, said, his voice dark and hot and needy. 'Quickly,' Hakkai said, and he was tugging at Gojyo's shoulder, greedy hands pulling him around and down until his face was snug between Hakkai's thighs, pressed tight with Hakkai's hands on the back of his head. 

Gojyo wrapped his arms around Hakkai's waist, close and warm, and breathed in. This was way beyond anything they'd done before, this hurried, clumsy rush. Here, in daylight, in the kitchen. Gojyo hoped no one walked past and chose to look in right now, see him on his knees about to take another man's cock in his mouth. He wondered if Hakkai had wanted this all along, if he'd just been waiting for Gojyo to make some sign. He didn't know what sign he'd given though.

'Gojyo,' Hakkai whispered.

His hands tangled in Gojyo's hair. Looking up he caught Hakkai's intense gaze, possessive and hungry, and had to hide his face. He rubbed his cheek against silky, hot flesh. The solid bar of Hakkai's penis pressed against his face, against his lips, across his cheekbone, crumpling his eyelashes as Hakkai slid over the curves of his face, leaving slicks of clear fluid that cooled in the air. Gojyo stretched his tongue until it licked and curled around Hakkai's shaft, salty smooth and hot against his lips. Hakkai's hands loosened, letting Gojyo back off and swallow him, just the head because Gojyo wasn't very practiced. 

Gojyo stopped, pulling back until Hakkai's dick was bobbing in front of him, dark red and glistening. He kissed along its length, feeling Hakkai gather up his hair in great soft handfuls. 

'Can you-- will you fuck me?' he said, managing to say it without his voice wobbling too much. 

Hakkai drew him up and pressed him up against the table, kissing him. 'Whatever you want,' he whispered, kissing his face, up over his eyes, hands deep in his hair, then back to his mouth. They kissed, wet and deep until Hakkai's hand fell to his shoulders and turned him around. He went easily. Hakkai's hands ran over his flesh, placing him just right. Gojyo's fingers crept forward to grip the table edge and he tilted his hips and parted his legs. 

'Oh,' he heard Hakkai murmur, 'that's good.'

It was a shock beyond all others when a wet lick of heat slicked over his hole and then the tip of Hakkai's tongue jabbed into him. His cock jerked and twitched underneath him when it wiggled, soft and delicate inside him, probing. He raised himself, trying to get more and Hakkai gave a muffled moan, licking in deeper. Gojyo almost slipped off the table when Hakkai suddenly pulled away. He heard the clink of bottles on the shelf, things being shoved around in a hurry, then the snap of a lid. Gojyo choked when Hakkai's finger slipped inside him, sweet and slick. Hakkai was gasping above him, one hand braced on the table. He rubbed a whole palmful of oil over Gojyo's hole, his fingers dipping in again and again. Gojyo heard the slick wet noises as Hakkai spread it on himself, then slipped round to grip his cock, stroking it hard and tight. 

'Do it,' Gojyo moaned, 'please.' 

Then he was being stretched, and it felt huge. It made him want to sob and cry out and arch back and take more. His body couldn't decide if it was pain or pleasure, telling him both. He writhed, sinking himself further. Hakkai's hands grabbed his hips, holding him down and forcing him to hold still. 

'If you move like that I won't last long,' Hakkai growled. His breath puffed hot down Gojyo's back, cooling the sweat there. 

'Just-- fuck me,' Gojyo said. He dropped his head, mouth open to suck in air. He almost laughed. He'd said it before. It was easy to say it again. 'Fuck me,' he said. 'Fuck me.'

A hand twisted into his hair, and Hakkai pulled his head back to lick a stripe up the side of his neck. 

'I've never needed telling, Gojyo,' he said, as he worked himself in deeper, 'where you're concerned.'

Hakkai slid in. Gojyo heard the wet slap of their bodies and his balls jiggled with the force of it, tight and throbbing, and when Hakkai pulled out there was such a piercing ache inside him that Gojyo wondered how he could stand it. 

'Gojyo, oh, Gojyo,' said Hakkai, his voice breaking, high and sharp, and he began to thrust hard, spreading Gojyo's buttocks with his palms.

Gojyo arched up, pushing himself hard back onto Hakkai, wanting more of the stretch and the ache and the fullness. Hakkai's hand slipped down to squeeze his balls, cupping their taut curve, then slid back up and began to pull at him fast and hard in time to his thrusts and they were shaking and moaning perfectly together. Everything was still for an endless, beating moment. He froze, body taut and trembling as he watched himself spurt thick white strands over Hakkai's fingers. He tipped his head back, mouth open and knees turning to water as Hakkai's dick twitched inside him. Hakkai's arms tightened around him and his mouth fixed down on Gojyo's neck, gently this time. They stayed locked together for minutes, breath slowing together as they collapsed little by little onto the table.

They went to bed after that, after Gojyo had stood in the shower for a long time. He wondered what would happen now. He ached in new places and he'd never look at that table the same way again. Gojyo stood under the hot spray and smiled to himself, remembering. Later, Hakkai pulled him close and stroked his hair with long, gentle strokes, something he'd never done before. They looked into each other's eyes for a long time, not speaking.

'Of course, the table will need sanding again,' Hakkai said, eventually. 

Gojyo kissed him.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakkai, Gojyo and Jeep

'Now, this is Gojyo,' Hakkai said. 'Gojyo, say hello to Jeep.'

'Why d'ya call him that?'

'He can turn into one.' 

Gojyo was going to ask how he'd found that out, but the scrawny white thing on Hakkai's shoulder was peering at him suspiciously. 

'What, you want me to shake his claw or something? I don't think he likes me,' Gojyo said, when Jeep snapped at his extended finger. 'Ow.'

'No, no. He does, I'm sure,' Hakkai said. 'Come a little closer. You can hold him.' 

Gojyo sucked at the two drops of welling blood, the same colour as the dragon's eyes. Jeep hissed, his mouth opening wide to show tiny, white fangs.

'I don't want to.'

'Gojyo.'

'Crap. Fine.'

Jeep coiled his tail round Hakkai's upper arm when Hakkai gently tried to lift him off. 

'He's shy. Let go, little one,' Hakkai said. Jeep flexed his claws and they slid easily through Hakkai's shirt. 'Ah. Please be so kind as to not sink your claws in. Let go, please. Stop that. Now.'

'Kyu!'

'No more biting! He's perfectly safe, Gojyo. Ouch.' 

The battle went on for some minutes. Gojyo hid his grin behind his hand. 

'Don't be afraid,' Hakkai murmured in Jeep's ear, eventually. 'You can trust Gojyo.' 

It was stupid to get such a warm glow just because of that. 'Ah, don't worry about it, Hakkai. He'll learn.'

Jeep clung even more tightly. He draped his body around Hakkai's neck and hissed in Gojyo's face when Gojyo came near.

'It might be that he's jealous,' Hakkai said, after a pause.

'Of.. of me? Heh.' Gojyo rubbed the nape of his neck and backed away. 'There's no reason for that.' 

Hakkai's ears were pink, but Gojyo could put that down to Jeep having bitten them, although he hadn't seen it happen.

'No, of course,' Hakkai said to Gojyo's elbow. 'I must go shopping now.' 

Jeep's white head bobbed smug and victorious over Hakkai's shoulder as he hurried away.


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Daegaer. Prompt: Crawford/Sanzo, big guns. Weiss Kreuz crossover.

He'd looked sane enough in the bar, tempting, even; a minor challenge in scruffy low cut jeans and a wall of bad attitude that began at least three feet from his body. He'd smiled, low and mean-looking. Crawford hadn't smiled back, but then he hadn't needed to. Three minutes later they were in the alley, pressed into a dark corner, and the promise held in that sullen mouth blasted all other thoughts away. 

Crawford didn't know his name, but that wasn't a problem. The problem was the gun that was jabbing against his stomach, its silver mouth biting into his skin through his shirt. He pulled his hands away and held them up, showing them to be empty and harmless. Something was deeply wrong. His palms washed cold with sweat: the future was blank, closed off. The door had slammed shut for the first time he could ever remember.

'You're making a mistake,' he said, voice calm because his training wouldn't let it be anything else. 

He just couldn't see and the shock of being abandoned into this single moment almost sent him reeling. He'd learned to compensate for the distraction of foresight, like a man battling against a high wind, but all he could see now was dirty gold hair and violet eyes in a too-pretty face, pale as a china doll. Skinny but strong, he judged. Crawford wondered if he was quick enough to reach his own gun before he got shot.

'No, I don't think I am. You have to die. I know that,' he nodded, as if to himself, then he turned his empty eyes up to Crawford's. 

'How do you know?' Crawford asked, skin crawling now. He wondered if stalling was going to save him or deliver him a messy gut wound. 

Sometimes it paid to ask the stupid questions. Besides, he had a professional interest in this kind of thing. He could imagine how much Schuldig would laugh at that. He wished Schuldig could appear right now, but unfortunately his talents had never stretched in that direction. 

'I've always known,' the other said, as if Crawford should've know that too. 'This is getting tedious. Let's get it over. It'll be quick.' 

'No,' he said. He couldn't just die. Not like this, without knowing. 

The safety clicked off, the man was backing off, bracing his arm and Crawford saw he could kick up, just enough to get his aim off, when there were frantic footsteps, a lot of yelling and they were both barrelled over, hard. 

Crawford leapt up. A young man with long brown hair was wrestling the other down, pinning his waist with his knees and grabbing both wrists to keep his arms still. He did it easily and the gun clattered onto the concrete. 'No, no, no,' he said, almost chanting. 'You can't do this. Please, not again.'

'Get off me. I have to.'

'Please,' the young man, sounding like he was close to crying. 'You go away,' he said to Crawford, not even bothering to look over his shoulder. 'Now.' 

The compulsion to leave was strong and not all his own. As he backed away he realised he could go now, turn left out of the alley and there would be a taxi free. At home the others were waiting. He wasn't going to die. Schuldig would be impatient but wouldn't ask any awkward questions about his evening out. 

He looked back and saw them crouched together, blond head bowed and hidden and a pair of gold eyes staring after him. There was a mystery there, one that didn't suit him. He left.


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: cold. Hakkai/Gojyo

He knew. He'd known for a long time, back when they were living together on the outskirts of Ch'ang-an, in his too-small house in the back lanes where there weren't many people, where they ended up spending a lot of their time together, working for Sanzo. Gojyo had made sure to keep up with his favourite girlfriends but all the same, despite a smokescreen of lipsticked mouths and skirts and curves, he knew. He knew. And he stayed. He wondered if Hakkai was ever going to tell him. Hakkai: master of subtlety. Except in this he wasn't quite good enough. 

It was their first winter together when he'd noticed. 

'Shut the door, Gojyo,' said Hakkai, sitting at the kitchen table. He was flipping the pages of a book, making notes. 'You're letting the heat out.'

'Your lips look kinda blue,' Gojyo said, remembering to hang his fur-lined coat on the peg. Winters in Ch'ang-an were as cold as the summers were hot and sticky. 'Here,' and he went up behind him and rubbed his hands hard up and down Hakkai's skinny arms.

The book slammed shut. 

'Don't.'

Gojyo snatched his hands away. 'Uh. Sorry,' he said and there was a frozen pause where he could hear the wind rattling the empty branches outside the window.

'I'd better start dinner,' Hakkai said, turning away, back to sounding exactly as pleasant as he always did, and that was it. 

Hakkai flinched, twitched, moved away when Gojyo came too close. Ironic for someone who's insides he'd seen, purple and slippery and smelling bad. Gojyo didn't say anything; mostly because, in a way that he knew wasn't very healthy, he liked how Hakkai couldn't stand to be close him. It meant Hakkai was alive in there, feeling, responding even if it didn't make him happy. Hakkai was cold. Frigid, he'd say if it was a woman, just needing the touch of Gojyo's talented hands to set her on fire. If Hakkai ever touched himself, jerked off, had sex with anyone, Gojyo didn't know about it, and he would know. He couldn't even imagine Hakkai doing it. Gojyo didn't stop, didn't take care to keep his hands off. 

Winter, and they were buried deep in snow, wrapped in white in their tidy little home, snug together. Hakkai made Gojyo lag all the pipes and plug the cracks in the wood with scraps of old blanket and glue.

'Dig me a path to the chicken coop,' Hakkai said one morning, not very politely. He had a stupid bobble hat on and his nose was red. He'd had a cold for the past week. He pushed a shovel at Gojyo and gave him a warm smile, a teasing one.

You love me Gojyo thought, clear and loud, the thought fully complete and appearing as if it had just been waiting nearby until its time was right. He stopped, dropped the shovel and wondering if he'd actually said it out loud, but Hakkai just turned and went back into the house and shut the door. Watched him work from the kitchen window. Gojyo stayed warm under his gaze. 

He knew, all right.


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Cygny. Mutiny, Saiyuki style

'He just won't go,' Hakkai said, shrugging.

'Why not?' Sanzo looked outraged, but also rather tired. 

He was slumped in a chair. It had been a hard month, thought Hakkai. So many youkai, so little time, as Gojyo had liked so often to quip, before Hakkai had taken him aside and threatened him with a beating.

'I can't say. He sealed up his ignition slot and let his tires go flat. I've even tried bribing him with dog biscuits. You know how he loves them.'

Sanzo looked blank, clearly not knowing.

Hakkai wrung his hands and cast a sorry look to the floor. 'Nothing has worked. It seems we'll simply have to stay here a little longer.'

Here happened to be a rather pretty town, which had a lovely range of inns and bars and nice places to eat. Oddly, as it wasn't near the ocean, it had a beach. Hakkai was content not to question it, and had invested in four pairs of trunks, a beach ball and some high factor lotion.

'Then we'll walk. Where's my robe?' he demanded.

'I'm afraid Jeep had an accident on it in the night. Sorry. It won't take long to dry-clean. Look, here's a fresh T-shirt. The blue is really your colour,' he said as Sanzo snatched it off him.

'Where are my boots?'

'I'm sorry?'

'Boots.'

'Oh. They're being reheeled. Try these.'

He presented a pair of yellow flip-flops.

'Get the others,' Sanzo said in a low, dangerous tone.

'But Gojyo has run away again.' To the nearest bar, he didn't add.

Sanzo twitched. 'So? Leave him.' He shoved his feet into squeaky yellow plastic. 'These rub, Hakkai.'

'And so has Goku.'

'He - what? Where?'

'I've no idea. But he took your gold card and his swimming costume. The combination is quite worrying, I'm sure you'll agree. We should track him immediately.'

Sanzo yanked the door open. 'Come on. He can't have made it far.'

'I do hope you're right,' Hakkai said, checking he had the sun cream, towels and a large packed lunch, before following Sanzo out of the door.


	36. Something Strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Pyitara, who asked for something with Gojyo getting in touch with his kappa heritage.

He'd known Gojyo for more than three years before he dared ask, late one night when the others were sleeping, 'What was your father like?'

Gojyo blinked at him in the firelight, then dropped his head so that his hair swung down to hide his face. 

'He left when I was a baby,' he said, raising his shoulders in a shrug. 'Who knows?'

*

 

The body lay in the dried-up river bed, frail and helpless looking. It was small, only the size of a child, but it had webbed feet and drab, scaly skin that now stretched like dried leather across its skeleton. Matted hair fell over its curved, beak-like nose. It had curled up in a ball, perhaps knowing death was close.

'What is it?' Gojyo asked, prodding it with his boot.

'Don't you know?' Hakkai said, staring at him.

Gojyo scowled. 'Why should I?'

'It's a kappa,' Hakkai said. 

Gojyo took his boot away and didn't reply at once, but his mouth turned down as he stared at it, then he walked away. 'So what? Why should I care?' But he didn't mention their find to Sanzo or Goku.

A few weeks later Hakkai bought him a book: A Spotter's Guide to Youkai and Other Supernatural Beings. It was a small volume, pocket-size, but it was up-to-date and all its facts were correct. Hakkai had checked it himself. It had everything Gojyo needed to know. Gojyo looked at him like Hakkai had grown three heads when he handed it over, but he took it away and later that week Hakkai was pleased to see him flipping through it.

'My nose,' Gojyo said to Hakkai, one day at dinner, 'it's not-- beaky, is it?'

'You have a very attractive nose,' Hakkai said.

Gojyo stared at him for a few seconds. 'Well, thanks.' He flattened his hands on the table and spread his fingers. 'Do these look webbed to you?' 

'Not even slightly,' said Hakkai. 'I'm also fairly convinced you don't have a water-filled dent in your skull--'

'I wouldn't be so sure,' Sanzo muttered. 'He's got a water-filled brain.'

'Screw you. I never asked for your opinion.'

'And I'm reasonably certain that you'd never attempt to suck out our entrails through our anuses,' Hakkai said. 

The spray of Gojyo's beer reached the next table over.

'Please excuse him,' Hakkai said, as Gojyo choked. He gave its occupants a big smile.

Sanzo lit a cigarette. 'I hate you all,' he said. 

'Hakkai!' Goku cried, 'that's really put me off my dinner.' 

'Kappas can do a lot of good too,' Hakkai went on, patting Gojyo on the back to help with his coughing fit until Gojyo shoved his hand away. He was very red. 'They can be very kind and trustworthy.'

'I'm not a fucking kappa,' he yelled. 'I don't eat people and I hate cucumbers and I don't smell of fish!'

The restaurant fell silent. Gojyo just sat there, not looking at them, staring at the table instead. He seemed to be trembling slightly. 

'You're as stupid as one,' Sanzo said. That seemed to be everybody's cue to start talking again and a buzz of conversation rose around them.

Goku looked from Sanzo to Hakkai to Gojyo. 'Well, we call you that, I know. But-- who cares if you are or not? I don't. As long as you don't try the entrails thing,' he added.

Gojyo frowned. 'That's not the point.'

'Isn't it? There are worse things than smelling of fish. Not that you do. Often.'

Gojyo put his head in his hands. 

'Gojyo, it's not like any of us are normal, even for youkai,' Hakkai said, softly. 

'Speak for yourself,' said Sanzo. 'I'm human, remember. You lot keep forgetting that.'

'Maybe that's why we all get along so well,' Hakkai went on, ignoring him-- he was only looking at Gojyo.

Gojyo shook his head, then his shoulders slumped and he ran a non-webbed, long-fingered hand through his hair. 

'Yeah, well, you're obviously from another planet,' he said, but his mouth was curving up now and the scowl was going. 

Hakkai nodded. 

'It wouldn't surprise me at all,' he said solemnly. 'It feels that way sometimes, travelling with you.'

'A stranger in a strange land,' said Goku.

They turned to stare at him. 

'Shut up,' said Sanzo.

'I knew it was a mistake to give him your library card, Hakkai.'

Gojyo grinned then and drank more beer, and eventually they made him take his boots off to prove his feet weren't webbed either and Hakkai was happy to take each strong, arched foot into his hand to check the toes personally. Nobody could find a water-filled dent anywhere on his person and his skin wasn't the slightest bit scaly. He didn't smell at all fishy.

'Oh god. Get a room,' muttered Sanzo. He appeared to mean it, so Hakkai did. 

*

 

He just wanted Gojyo to talk and for himself to listen. From the other bed, Gojyo's voice was low and unguarded with impending sleep, pitched only for Hakkai's ears. It was like being wrapped in soft wool on a winter night, or warm flowing water. His voice filled the quiet, dark room. He'd been talking for a while now, and Hakkai felt he could listen all night. 

'Mom never said anything about him-- you know, what he was. I guess-- I mean, I thought-- maybe he looked like Jien.'

'I've always thought you and your brother have the same smile. Your father probably had that too.'

'We smile the same?' Gojyo said, after a long pause. 

'Sometimes, yes, it's exactly alike. A mischievous kappa smile,' Hakkai murmured, hooking his pillow close to him with one arm and pressing his face into it.

'Hakkai,' Gojyo said, softly, 'I don't really mind being called that. You can call me it-- I won't be insulted.'

'I know.'

'S'not like you ever do, though,' he said. 

'Would you like me to?'

'I'm just sayin' if you ever did I wouldn't mind.' 

'I wouldn't want to. I like Gojyo best.'

'Oh.' More silence, and Hakkai was sure he was asleep, until Gojyo said, 'D'ya really think I've got an attractive nose?'

Hakkai smiled into his pillow and bit his lip. You've got an attractive everything, he wanted to say, but he didn't. There were lots of things he wanted to call Gojyo, but not yet. 

'Go to sleep, Gojyo,' he whispered, instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kappas are river imps. One defining characteristic of the kappa is a shallow depression in its head that holds water, and they get their strength from this water when away from home. They can be snake-like, ape-like or turtle like, with a beaky nose and webbed hands. They are also reputed to suck out people's entrails or livers or souls through their anuses-- said to be a way of explaining the swollen anuses of drowning victims. Gojyo would never do anything like that, I'm sure.


	37. Open

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Toscas_kiss. Prompt: wolf in sheep's clothing. Hakkai/Gojyo.

'You don't want this,' I said, sure right to the tips of my fingers. 

They were curled round the back of Gojyo's neck, plunging into warm, soft hair. He didn't want it, but I did, and too keenly for it to be anything other than disastrous. I could picture the damage we could inflict upon one another. His mouth was open and his eyes were wide and he was staring at me as if I'd hit him. I'd spoken the truth, it was clear.

Perhaps my voice had changed its timbre. Perhaps my head had dropped and my eyes had narrowed. I'm not sure. At moments like that, one could call them moments of arousal, something inside-- I don't name it-- claws for freedom. I would be lying if I said that I did not welcome it, in some small, dark part of me, and to be honest it's been useful. Very useful, yes, in saving lives and taking them.

'What the fuck do you know, anyway?' Gojyo whispered and his face tangled in a brief snarl, even as his body shoved heavy and warm against me. 'You don't know what I want,' and his voice seemed wrung with desperation. 'Sometimes,' he carried on, almost a babble, 'you just don't get it. Hakkai.'

His breath was all over my face, hot and tar-smelling from the cigarette he'd tossed away a minute ago, when we were still stood apart, both staring at what he'd asked me, just straight out and shocking. Now he crushed me close and burrowed his face into my neck, not even kissing me, just holding on tight and not at all gently. His hands moved on my back, fingers digging in then smoothing me over and as my arms curved in turn around his waist he groaned and clutched me tighter. It sounded like relief. 

It shook me. Gojyo was right. I might not know. It would be wonderful not to know and to be surprised, to be empty and then filled up, even with the nameless thing still living in me. Filled up with Gojyo. I squeezed tighter and heard him gasp. An image of him moving above me flashed against my closed eyes and then there was so much heat between us I could hardly breathe. Gojyo panted into my neck. Our hips were canted tight together, talking while we were frozen above. 

'You don't listen,' Gojyo said in my ear. 

To him, to myself? I was blinded and he confused me. Even then, perhaps especially then, I could sense myself wanting to change, the ugly face of what I am pushing to get out, because it never did and now it was shaking me. My throat tightened with fear, but Gojyo just put his hands up to my face and kissed me, slowly and with great care, as I never imagined he could. The fear slipped away, I hardly even felt it go, and the thing inside me blossomed, as gentle as a rose unfurling. 

I murmured against his mouth, something about love, and he murmured it back. There was no other choice, so I let him in, let myself out.


	38. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akisawana prompted: Gojyo deflowering Goku. Or trying to explain that to Sanzo. Implied Gojyo/everyone.

Hakkai and Sanzo were already at breakfast when Gojyo and Goku came down. Hakkai sipped his tea and carried on gazing out of the window at the street, apparently oblivious to them. Sanzo didn't acknowledge them either. Instead he directed clouds of cigarette smoke across Goku's face and repeatedly flicked his ash into Gojyo's coffee.

'That's the second cup you've ruined, you bastard' Gojyo growled, shoving it away so it slopped on to the table top. He lurched forward over the table, pushing his face into Sanzo's. 'What the hell's up with you, anyhow?' 

Sanzo's mouth contracted to tight crinkled line. He didn't answer but just looked at Gojyo with a flat stare. 

'Sanzo,' Goku began. He toyed with his food, eyes on his plate. 'Is there something wrong?'

'You tell me,' Sanzo snarled, sitting back and folding his arms. 'It sounded like someone had fun last night. Thin walls, shitheads,' he hissed.

Goku glanced at Gojyo, a quick sideways flicker. Gojyo cleared his throat and seemed to be finding lots to look at on the other side of the room. 

'Um,' Goku said, his voice quavering. His shoulders slumped as if he was trying to make himself smaller. 'Well. Everything's fine.'

'Ah, yes,' Hakkai said, turning round finally. 'That's because Gojyo is very good at it. Aren't you, Gojyo?' He smiled and Gojyo flinched.

'Shit,' Gojyo muttered. 'Don't look at me like that, Hakkai. He wanted to. It's not like I could say 'no'--it was his first time.' He brightened. 'Anyway, Sha Gojyo never disappoints a lover.' He glanced at Goku and frowned. 'Even one with monkey-like features.'

Goku clapped his hands over his ears, face glowing. 'Shut up,' he yelled. 'I can't believe I let you-- ugh.'

Gojyo turned on him. 'What? I'm not the one who couldn't last more than 15 seconds. Learn some self control before you come back, monkey! In fact, don't come back.'

Goku launched himself in a ball of spitting fury. 

'Disgusting,' Sanzo snapped, then repeated it, placing both hands on the table and rising, as if he thought they might not have heard the first time, 'You're disgusting. Both of you.'

'Ah, can it, monk,' Gojyo said, while trying to get Goku's foot out of his face, 'You're only annoyed because Wednesday is usually your night.'

Sanzo went red. 'Fuck you!' 

'Hmmm, yeah. Maybe later?' Gojyo said, with a leer. 

'Actually, Gojyo… ' Hakkai said. He put his teacup down so firmly that tiny cracks formed at the base, then winched out another smile. 

Gojyo flinched again, in unison with Sanzo and Goku this time.

'Er. Okay. Looks like I'll have to take a rain check, Sanzo. I'm, ah, busy tonight. Tomorrow?'

'I'll kill you!' 

'No, I want to kill him,' Goku cried. 

'Well, wait until tomorrow morning at least, please,' said Hakkai. 

So they did.


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Daegaer. Prompt: Hakkai gets nostalgic and tries to tell Gojyo about his past love life. Hakkai/Gojyo

'Tsk. All this blood,' Hakkai said, stepping over some entrails. 'It's splashed all over my trouser leg. I'll never get it out.'

He stood with Gojyo amid piles of corpses, which were steaming in the fresh morning air. Sunlight dappled the clearing, doing its best to make the place look cheery. It wasn't working. 

Gojyo looked. There was a large, dark stain on Hakkai's trousers. 

'Sorry, man,' Gojyo shrugged. There was a spray of blood drying on Gojyo's face, from his jaw to his hairline. His hands were sticky with something that smelled seriously bad.

'My point is, Gojyo' said Hakkai, 'is it really necessary to disembowel everyone?'

'Hey, don't tell me how I should be slicing people up.'

'My apologies. Obviously you know best. Yet surely a simple cut to the jugular would work just as well.'

'That sprays blood everywhere.'

'But there wouldn't be that terrible smell.' 

'Jesus. Yes Mom. I'll do it how I like.'

'Or perhaps some other vital artery would work. You might want to borrow my anatomy book.'

'You brought it with you?'

'It can be useful,' Hakkai said vaguely, dabbing at his leg with a handkerchief. 'Ah, this puts me in mind of Kanan.'

He sighed, head still bent over the stain. Gojyo tensed.

'Uh. Okay.'

'She had a marvellous remedy for bloodstains. It could get anything out. Anything at all.'

'Hakkai. Well-- let's go back to Jeep.'

Hakkai didn't move.

'Don't tug at me, Gojyo,' he said. His head was still bowed, his hands clutching the handkerchief, frozen with white knuckles. 'Once she cut her foot on a bit of glass. My fault. Obviously I had failed to sweep up a breakage properly. There was blood everywhere. She was as calm as anything. I fainted, I'm ashamed to say.'

'Hakkai.'

'There really was a lot of it, but she got it out of the rug eventually. One part cornstarch to two parts water, and a drop of ammonia.'

Gojyo put his hand on Hakkai's arm. It was rigid. 

'Let's go and find an inn. Hot water sounds good right now, doesn't it? Come on, Hakkai. Please.'

'She was stronger than me, in many ways,' Hakkai said. 'More stubborn.'

'I doubt it,' Gojyo muttered. 

Hakkai was looking at him now. His good eye was narrowed. 

'She was the one who asked me,' he said. 'She kept asking until I said yes.'

Gojyo knew what he was talking about. He didn't say, what made you think it was okay to fuck your sister? Or what was it like? He didn't want the answers and anyway had enough personal experience to make a pretty good guess. This really wasn't the place for this. 

'Oh. I didn't know,' he said, instead, because he hadn't.

'As I said, she was stronger. More determined in her disregard for convention.'

Or maybe she just didn't want to be alone, Gojyo thought. Anyone could understand that. Worth breaking the rules for a man like Hakkai.

'Hey,' he said, and slipped his hand into Hakkai's and squeezed.

Hakkai looked at him and blinked, then his face softened. His hand tightened around Gojyo's. Relief flooded Gojyo's gut and despite the buzzing flies and puddles of gore he was overcome by an almost painful need to fling his arms around Hakkai and crush him close.

'I'm sorry,' Hakkai said, looking worried. 'I didn't mean to-- '

'Doesn't matter. We can talk about it later.'

'Gojyo,' Hakkai said, sounding shocked. 'That must be very unpleasant.'

It took him a moment to realise Hakkai meant the blood drops on his face. His skin felt tight where they'd dried. 

'Let me wipe this off for you.'

Gojyo let go and stood still. Hakkai began dabbing at his face with a damp hanky, fussing, until the blood was gone.


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Scribblemoose, prompts: Gojyo, Sanzo, shampoo. Gojyo/Sanzo.

It was the smell of it more than anything. When they'd been in Jeep all day it became a mass of tangles that smelled like leaves and wind and sun and grass.

Gojyo could bury his nose in Sanzo's hair right there and just spend whole minutes breathing in. Then Sanzo would go and wash it, making it smell only of shampoo. He never said anything though, because what was there to say? Sanzo had limited interest in anything to do with Gojyo that wasn't immediately gratifying. Sanzo liked getting a light for his cigarette. Sanzo liked his cock, liked being on it, sucking it, having it in his hands. It wasn't like he wanted Gojyo's sappy ideas about his hair and how the smell of it made Gojyo feel safe and warm. Gojyo didn't particularly want to hear things like that coming out of his own mouth. 

But it smelled good, even if sometimes it was mostly cigarette smoke.

He liked to fuck Sanzo from behind. That way he could pin down Sanzo's shoulders and go in hard and deep. Sanzo went wild for that. Gojyo would stretch forward so he could press his face into Sanzo's hair as Sanzo writhed, inarticulate, and it would brush and slide against Gojyo's face.

'Why do you do that?' Sanzo said, afterwards. He sounded curious for once.

'What?'

Sanzo turned to lean on one elbow. 'Sniff my hair. Is it some sort of perverted fetish?' 

'I wish. No,' he said, annoyed. 'It's nothing. Just-- it smells good.'

'But it's dirty,' Sanzo said, looking puzzled. He pushed a hand through his hair, making it stick up.

Gojyo liked him like this, dazed from sex. His face was as soft as Gojyo ever saw it, sleepy looking and open. 

'Yeah. I know.'

'And you like that?' Sanzo said, raising his brows.

'Turns me on. You don't seem to mind.'

'Huh.' 

It smells of you, Gojyo didn't say. Better to keep quiet about shit like that. 

Sanzo didn't open his mouth after that except to kiss him, and later he twined his arms around Gojyo's shoulders and pulled him closer, face pressed to his neck. 

Sanzo didn't take his shampoo into the bathroom the next day.


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Karose. Kougaiji and Sanzo sharing a moment.

And after the end, when the journey was over and Sanzo never wanted to set eyes on a sutra ever again, or eat hotel food, or sit in a small dragon that was pretending to be a motorised vehicle, there was a meeting. 

It was long and tedious and no one served him coffee. It was no real surprise that the son of the demon king turned up halfway through, saying he'd got a memo and what the hell was this all about anyway.

Fine, Sanzo thought, I can deal with this. He remembered Kougaiji standing watching Houtou castle in flames, his father and his mother turned into black smoke and ashes and the burning gaze he'd turned on Sanzo. He looked different now, head to toe in white and with his hair shorn, his gaze carefully turned away, just as upright but smaller somehow. 

They knelt side by side and Sanzo listened to his voice, as quite and precise as Kougaiji himself. 

Sanzo lost track of time. The Sanbutsushin wanted to know who did what, who said what to who and when and then what happened? Didn't bitch-features Bosatsu know all this anyway? They wanted Kougaiji to stabilise India's regions. They wanted Sanzo to found a new temple, look after Goku, make sure Hakkai still behaved himself, write a book. Blah, blah, fucking blah. 

Finally, just when Sanzo thought his knees might give out, they were let go. 

Shafts of light from the setting sun streamed across the courtyard. Sanzo was very aware of the quiet, tense figure at his side. He had been ever since he'd arrived. Kougaiji was hard to ignore. Their eyes met and Sanzo couldn't think of a single thing to say. It had never bothered him before, but now it seemed wrong to let Kougaiji stand there, as if waiting. They were hardly enemies any longer. 

'Where are you staying?' he managed, more of politeness than interest. 

'An inn outside the city. It's comfortable.'

They stood in silence for a few moments longer. Sanzo thought about how much he hated staying at the temple. 

'I'd be glad of your company tonight,' Kougaiji said into the quiet. 'It would be an honour.' His eyes met Sanzo's then, fully, saying far more. 

Oh. 

Sanzo became very aware of the distance between them: it was not much. He wondered if he'd always wanted this from Kougaiji. Kougaiji seemed to glow in the sun's gold light, burnished and gleaming. His eyes were shadowed, showing only a glint of copper.

'All right,' he said. 

*

 

After dinner, where they drank only a little too much, Kougaiji, as formal as a suitor, invited him for a stroll in the garden. Sanzo didn't stop him when he moved close. A short while later, a lot less formally, Kougaiji said:

'Will you sleep with me tonight?'

Sanzo tried to remember if anyone had actually ever asked him that before. 

'Why?' he said. 

'Don't treat me like a fool,' said Kougaiji. 'I can see the way you look at me.'

'I meant, why would you want to?'

Kougaiji opened his mouth, then closed it. 'Do I need to give reasons?' he said after a pause. 'Tonight, it seems a good thing-- the right thing to do. I might not think so tomorrow. Yesterday I might have not spoken. 

Sanzo,' he went on, when Sanzo said nothing. He laid a hand on his shoulder. This close they were eye to eye, breath to breath, 'you're very beautiful.'

People didn't say things like this to Sanzo. He didn't let them, didn't want to hear. He shut his eyes.

'Yes,' he said, and it was like he was falling off a precipice. 

He opened his eyes to see Kougaiji smiling at him, a real, wide smile so that Sanzo could see his perfect white teeth. They went back to Kougaiji's room. There was a large bed and Sanzo glanced at it, refusing to give in to the tension that coiled in his stomach. Instead he paid attention to Kougaiji, and found that his clothes were made of heavy silk, rough on his fingertips next to the skin of Kougaiji's face.

'I want to see you naked,' Kougaiji said, smiling, pulling at his robes, 'help me.' 

Sanzo untied his sash and shrugged his robe off, tossing it aside.

'Do you always wear this sort of thing?' Kougaiji whispered, running his hands over Sanzo's chest and arms, using his nails when his fingers passed over Sanzo's nipples.

'Ah-- it's what sanzos wear.' He let out a breath as Kougaiji's fingers pushed into his waistband. 'Why?'

'No reason.'

Then Kougaiji was kissing him, soft at first, then hot and deep. It was shocking, strange to be so close to another person, so intimate with tongues and lips and hands. Kougaiji broke off and pulled his own trousers and shirt off, then began to undo Sanzo's jeans. Sanzo tightened his arms round Kougaiji's waist; the silky skin under his hands was burning hot and Kougaiji smelled of something expensive, soap or shampoo. He drew his hands slowly up Kougaiji's back and into his hair, then back down to curve around his naked buttocks. Kougaiji moaned and pressed closer, rubbing naked against him in a shameless sort of way that made Sanzo hard and ready to do anything Kougaiji asked of him. He was dizzying; lithe and warm and powerful in his arms. They moved, slow and unsteady and joined deliciously at the mouth, to the bed

Kougaiji pushed him flat and moved over him, still kissing him, one hand smoothing down Sanzo's side as if calming him, then closing around his erection.

'Listen,' he said, because he couldn't keep it in any longer. 'I've never-- I haven't... This is all new to me.'

Kougaiji went still, his hand tight and firm around him. 

'With a man? Or-- ' 

'Anyone,' Sanzo finished.

He was grateful Kougaiji didn't take long to answer. 

'I'm glad you said,' and his hand began moving again. He leaned down to kiss him again and to murmur, 'I want you inside me. Does that sound good?'

'Yes,' Sanzo breathed. He'd never been so hard. He ached with wanting-- whatever it was. 

Kougaiji groped for something on the night table. 'Dip your fingers in this,' he was saying, holding out a shallow jar. 'Now,' and he rose up on his knees, straddling him, 'put your fingers inside me.'

He stared up at him. Kougaiji was breathing heavily. 'Do it. Please,' Kougaiji whispered.

His oiled finger slid into tight heat and Kougaiji moaned above him and pushed down. Sanzo ran his free hand up his long slender thigh and over his erection. Kougaiji leaned forward and pinned him, kissing him until Sanzo thought he might come from just this, from the teasing brush of Kougaiji's balls along his cock and the circling of his hips and the heated grip on his finger. But he wanted to be inside, wanted this tightness around his cock, squeezing him. 

Then Kougaiji was moving again, pulling away from Sanzo so his finger came out. He took Sanzo's erection and, then, as Sanzo gasped, sank down onto it in one slow, slick motion, until he was sitting on Sanzo's lap, so soft and hot and almost painfully tight around him. 

Kougaiji's head tipped back as he lowered and raised himself on strong thighs, riding him as he pleased, shuddering and moaning above him and then he leaned down once more, gazing into Sanzo's eyes as his hips moved. Kougaiji's mouth was open, his eyes half shut. 

'You're beautiful,' he murmured, again, kissing along Sanzo's jawline until their mouths met and their tongues slid together. 

He didn't believe it, but the sound of Kougaiji's voice as he spoke made him want to arch and press into Kougaiji's hands. He wanted to say something back, but he didn't know what and anyway couldn't seem to make sounds come out of his mouth. 

Sanzo's hand found his cock again and he stroked it, trying to keep in time, thinking that he wasn't going to last long. Kougaiji tensed, then cried out into his mouth, hands gripping his hair tight. Wetness spurted across Sanzo's fingers and along his wrist and Kougaiji was coming in his hand, panting into his mouth, convulsing and clenching around him. He put his arms round Kougaiji's waist, arched up and pushed into him hard, hips thrusting until everything was wet and slick and mindless and pleasure pierced him. 

*

 

Sanzo wasn't expected back at any particular time, so he felt it was permissible to linger for a few days. Kougaiji was good company and a surprisingly good teacher, inventive and wicked. Not that he would tell anyone about this. It was none of their business after all. Their eventual goodbye was far warmer than their hello had been, and went on for some time. 

Some days after this he returned home. 

'Sanzo,' Hakkai said. 'You seem different, somehow. Don't you think so, Gojyo?'

Sanzo froze.

'Now you mention it, you do seem less of an uptight bastard than you were before you went.'

'Did something happen at the temple?' Hakkai went on. 

'No.' It wasn't exactly a lie. 

Hakkai was giving him a Look. 'But it went well?'

'Oh. Yes.' 

It was the truth.


	42. Chapter 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ForWildlemassu, prompt: Gojyo teaching Goku how to flirt.

'Goku.' 

A hand clapped down on his shoulder and an arm wrapped round his neck. But Goku didn't jump. He knew who it was. He tried not to go red, but he knew Gojyo was going to laugh at him. He was right too, but then Goku was surprised to hear him say softly: 'Monkey, you're never gonna score like that.'

The innkeeper's daughter was over at the bar, ignoring them. She had pretty golden hair that shimmered in long waves down her back and a cool, slow smile that made him want to sit staring at her and possibly buy her food. She was strong too. He'd seen her out back, lugging firewood about by the armful as if it was kindling.

'Get off,' Goku said, trying to shove Gojyo away, then gave up.

'Don't be shy. I saw the whole thing. Take it from a master, you blew it big style.'

Goku sighed, crushed. 'I don't know what I did wrong.'

'Maybe it was listing your top 100 favourite foods,' Gojyo said. 'Women like to be complimented on how they look, shit like that. They don't wanna hear about you. Just smile and nod and tell them they look amazing, unique, like no woman you've ever seen before.'

Goku squinted up at him, frowning. 'Does that really work?' It sounded corny even to him, but maybe Gojyo knew better. He was always talking about women, although he didn't appear to do much else than talk these days. 

'Yeah! And eye contact is important too. Lots of it. Smile at them, act like you're interested and you can't go wrong. They'll fall at your feet. Just watch and learn, chimp.'

Gojyo shook back his hair, stuck his hands in his pockets and sauntered over to lean casually in front of the girl. Goku watched them for a while. Gojyo certainly seemed to be making headway. She was laughing and smiling at him. He had a hot burn of jealousy in his stomach. Gojyo had better not--- 

He stopped thinking then, because she'd grabbed Gojyo, tugged him round the bar and had slammed him up against the wall, where she kissed him. Wow. She really was strong. He saw Gojyo's hands fold into her hair and stroke it and it made his stomach ache in a strange way.

Just then the door swing open and Sanzo walked in, followed by Hakkai. Sanzo rolled his eyes. Hakkai appeared not to see Gojyo at all, but rang the bell at the counter until the girl was forced to put Gojyo down, with a cheery 'thanks'. She turned to serve Hakkai and they smiled very sweetly at each other, Goku thought. 

'Pervert,' Sanzo muttered at no one in particular. He sat down at a table then glared at Goku. 'What are you doing?' 

'Nothing!' But that was a lie because he'd had an idea. Sanzo wasn't very much like a woman. Goku settled himself next to Sanzo and mulled over that thought for a while. It might be useful to find a way to make Sanzo happy. 

Goku smiled at him as hard as he could, until his face began to ache. Sanzo frowned.

'Stop doing that,' he said. 

Goku tried to catch his eye, to make the all important eye-contact, shifting closer and closer, but Sanzo kept turning his head away. 

'Goku,' he said, finally, 'stop looking at me or I'll beat your head in. And move away. What the hell's wrong with you today? Actually, don't tell me, I don't want to know.'

Defeated, Goku tried the last tactic. 

'Sanzo,' he began.

'What now?'

'You know, um. I've always thought you-- I mean. You're you. Unique. Not like anyone else.' 

It didn't sound quite right, but Goku wondered if it was working after all. Sanzo had gone very still.

'Goku,' he said in a low voice, and there was a long pause. Goku braced himself to be at the very least shot. 

Then Sanzo shook his head so his gold coloured hair fell over his eyes. His mouth curled up on one side. 

'You say the strangest things, monkey.'


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Lisa_bee, prompt: Goku finds a food he doesn't like..

'Eurrgh!'

Goku spat a mouthful of half-chewed something-- Sanzo had been trying not to pay attention-- back onto his plate. 

'Damn animal. That's disgusting,' said Sanzo. 'I'm going to ban you from the table unless you eat with some manners.'

'Go mommy,' Gojyo said into his beer, grinning.

'Don't you like it, Goku?' said Hakkai.

'No,' he said, slowly, clearly wrestling with the concept of not wanting to put food in his mouth. 'It's food. But I don't like it.'

They all turned to stare at him. 

'Wow. I never thought I'd see the day you found something you didn't like to eat,' said Gojyo.

Goku blinked, shocked. 'It's never happened to me before. I feel bad. Is there something wrong with me? What do I do? Sanzo?'

'Idiot,' Sanzo said. He sighed deeply. 'What was it?'

'These. They're bitter. Nasty-tasting.'

He pushed a bowl of small, black glistening things at Sanzo.

Sanzo stared. 'Hmm? Olives?' he said, slowly. 

Gojyo's fingers hovered over them but before he could reach over to try one, Sanzo snatched the bowl away and put it down firmly next to his elbow. 

'They're mine,' he intoned.

'You like them?' said Goku, looking on aghast. 

'Yes. They're very good. Your tongue is too foolish to appreciate them. And so is yours,' he snapped as Gojyo stretched a long arm over the table. 

'Hey, greedy. Share them,' said Gojyo. 'Oww. You got my eye!'

'Good. You don't deserve any.' Sanzo put his fan away. 

'It's true they're for more sophisticated palates, Sanzo,' Hakkai said, rather pointedly looking at the olives.

'You're not having any either,' Sanzo said.

Hakkai smiled widely and Sanzo realised he'd just forfeited getting his laundry done for the next week. But it was worth it. Olives were rare and expensive and delicious. And now, even better, Goku-proof. 

'I'm going to bed,' he said. 'Anyone comes near me, they get shot.'

He picked up his cigarettes, newspaper and beer, then balanced the bowl of olives in his other hand. 

Goku was staring at him, looking like he might cry. 

Sanzo turned back round, sighing deeply. 'Stop worrying, stupid. You don't have to like everything. You eat enough for the two of us as it is.' 

Something about that made Goku smile. Sanzo had no idea what, but if it stopped him looking like the world was about to end, then that was fine by him.


	44. The Orange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Mistressrenet and Toscas_kiss . Hakkai makes Gojyo understand the value of following a healthy diet, ie, you don't get Hakkai stalking you with fruit.

On his way home from the market, Hakkai decided that he needed to sweeten the pill.

As far as he could tell, Gojyo hadn't eaten anything with vitamin content for weeks. He'd even gone to the trouble of picking out green things from Hakkai's nutritionally balanced meals and leaving them on the side of his plate. It was not allowable. Beer, cigarettes and meat formed an unhealthy diet. The argument arising from this at lunchtime had, frankly, spoiled the cosy atmosphere of their home. Gojyo had to learn. 

At the door he paused to unbutton his collar. He ran a hand through his hair and shook it out and let his eyes take on a steely glint. That bit wasn't hard. As an afterthought he bit his lips to redden them. 

Gojyo looked up when he entered the kitchen with his bag of oranges. He took his feet off the table; a good sign. He sat up straight, even better. 

'About earlier,' Hakkai began.

Gojyo smiled, looking relieved.

'Hey, don't worry. You don't need to apologise. I know sometimes you get-- '

'I wasn't apologising.'

'Oh.'

Hakkai picked up the kitchen knife and advanced towards him.

'Hey, Hakkai!' Gojyo jumped up. 'Wait - I'm sorry, okay.'

'Sit down.'

Gojyo wavered, looked at the knife, then at Hakkai. He subsided into his chair.

'I don't believe this. They're only vegetables.'

Hakkai ignored him and picked up an orange.

'One orange provides more than 140% of your recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C, plus vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium and potassium. Just one. That's all I ask.'

'But I don't like--'

The orange rose in the air and the knife flickered, its blade bright and flashing as it sliced through the air. It landed with a thunk, its tip sunk an inch deep in the kitchen table. It stood quivering in front of Gojyo, who sat with his mouth open.

Two neat orange halves thumped alongside it, their fleshy faces gleaming, innocent and fresh. The kitchen filled with their sharp, sweet scent. 

'Gojyo,' Hakkai said, making sure his voice held a certain breathy quality. It was the one he'd tried out on Gojyo's girlfriends and it never failed to make them hang on his arm and beg him to stay and talk to them. 

Gojyo was looking at him as if he'd been struck. 

'Hakkai--'

Hakkai moved closer, around the table to where Gojyo sat with his fingers gripping the table edge. He picked up an orange half.

'If you'll take my advice, Gojyo,' he went on, in a low soft voice, 'if you know what's good for you,' he said, leaning closer, '...and what I'm about to give you will be very good for you... '

Gojyo stared up at him, eyes wide. Hakkai stared back, unwavering. A drop of juice from the orange clung to Gojyo's cheek, a sweet sticky spot and quite suddenly Hakkai felt quite mean for doing this. But not enough to stop. Gojyo's eyes fixed on the orange, then on his fingers, then on the open neck of his shirt. Hakkai leant down a bit more. 

'...you'll eat this. Now.' 

He held out the orange. Gojyo took it, not paying it any attention. His eyes were fixed on Hakkai's mouth.

'I will,' Gojyo said. 'Eat you. It! I'll eat it.'

'Thank you, Gojyo.'


	45. Chapter 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Cygny, prompt: Sanzo is put under a spell and starts behaving as a baby.

'Sanzo!'

But Goku was too late to pull him from the path of the weapon the youkai had thrown. There was an explosion; an odd dull sound that made their ears pop. It was more an implosion if anything and Sanzo was caught in the centre, his figure dark against a shining blue-white flash that made their eyes ache, and then he was gone. 

When their vision had cleared they saw that Sanzo was in fact still there. He just a lot smaller. 

'Holy shit,' Gjoyo said, with feeling. 'Is that-- ? It can't be true. Look at him! Fuck!'

'Language, Gojyo' Hakkai said, absently, one hand pressed to his mouth. 'Oh dear,' he said, eventually, although now he was smiling.

'Ahhh,' Goku breathed. 'He's so cute!'

He ran forwards before they could stop him. On the ground at his feet, swathed in Sanzo's robe, lay a blond haired, purple eyed young child. He was waving his chubby fists in a gesture eerily like Sanzo's when he took his fan to Goku's head. As they watched, his plump face began to wobble and then went red and simultaneously screwed itself up to emit an ear-shattering, furious wail. Goku backed off slightly, looking round at them for help. Sanzo carried on wailing at full volume. 

'That's him all right,' Gojyo muttered, sticking a finger in his ear. 

'Maybe he wants to be picked up, Goku,' Hakkai said. 'It can't be nice for him being down there.'

He was laughing now, and doing badly at hiding it. Gojyo joined in and when Goku swept Baby Sanzo into his arms and began to coo, Gojyo began to laugh so hard that eventually he was forced to lie down on the ground, clutching his stomach from the pain of it. Hakkai had to administer some well placed kicks to get him to stop. 

Sanzo had stopped wailing as soon as Goku picked him up and was busy glaring at him from a range of 5 inches. His face was pulled into a confused scowl. Goku angled the child towards them.

'Look, he's got the same eyes and nose and everything. Oh, look at his tiny fingernails. And toes!'

Sanzo gurgled and thwapped Goku on the nose with his fist. 

'Ow. But you can still hit good,' Goku said.

'I wonder if Jeep can do a baby car seat,' Hakkai mused. 'We really should find an inn so we can care for him properly. He'll be hungry soon.'

He went nearer and held out a finger. Sanzo clutched on to it fiercely and met his eyes with a wide, open gaze. 

'He's certainly strong, even at this age,' Hakkai said, softly. 

Gojyo came up behind him, peeping over Hakkai's shoulder. The child crowed at him. It was impossible to tell if he knew them, but his immense scowl implied that he might.

'Hello Sanzo,' Gojyo said, a little awkwardly. 'Hell, we can't call him Sanzo,' he said 'It's just not right for a baby.'

'Well, what shall we call him then?' said Hakkai.

There was a pause, during which the child bit Hakkai's finger. 

'Kouryuu,' said Goku. 

They both turned to look at him. He looked shy. 

'It was his name, before he was a sanzo. He told me once.' 

'It's not like he can shoot us, so we might as well.' 

'Hey, he's heavy,' Goku groaned. 'Hold him, Hakkai.'

'Ah, well. Gojyo,' Hakkai said. 

'What? Not me. Why should I have to deal with his sorry babyfied ass?' but Goku was pushing Kouryuu at him and Hakkai was standing by, smiling as though he'd won the lottery. 

Sanzo looked up at him and screamed in a happy, piercing sort of way. His plump fingers closed around red hair and tugged hard.

'Ow! No hair pulling,' Gojyo said, wrestling with tiny fingers. 'Damn he's strong for a midget.'

'He's easier to handle at this size,' Hakkai said, laughing. 'Shall we keep him in this state?' 

'Yeah!' Goku said. 'He can't get us with the fan like this.'

'No way am I cleaning up Sanzo-sick,' Gojyo warned, bouncing the child in his arms and making him shriek. Gojyo smiled down at him, then his grin faded. 'Or changing his nappy.'

The three of them looked at each other thoughtfully for a moment.

'We'd better find an antidote to this spell as soon as possible,' Hakkai said. 

'Yeah!' said Goku. 'We shouldn't waste any time.'

'Agreed. Let's go, quickly. Come along Gojyo.' 

'Hey, wait. You're not going to leave him with me. Why do I have to carry him?' 

Sanzo leaned forward and was neatly sick on Gojyo's shoulder.


	46. Chapter 46

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakkai/Gojyo. They steal Sanzo's underwear.

'Won't he miss 'em?' 

'Not at all. He's got plenty of spares,' said Hakkai. 

'It's too small,' Gojyo said, as he wriggled into clingy black fabric.

Hakkai stood back a bit. He seemed to be concentrating very hard. 'No. No, it's not,' he said. He gave Gojyo a thorough, lingering once over. 'It's perfect.'

Gojyo frowned, then looked down at himself. He smoothed out the wrinkles in his long gloves and adjusted the metal rings on his fingers 

'Are you sure?'

Hakkai nodded. 'Mmmm.'

'These armbands pinch like fuck,' he said, more to himself than Hakkai. 'How the hell does he stand it?' 

He plucked at the high neck, settling it to be more comfortable under his chin. If he was honest, this stuff was amazing: soft and stretchy and a lot better quality than anything Gojyo usually wore. He ran a hand down his chest. It really was tight, not that he needed telling; he'd seen Sanzo's nipples enough times when the monk insisted on lounging about in chilly hotel rooms in his underwear. He grinned to himself and then he looked up, to be caught by Hakkai's expression. 

Their eyes met, then suddenly Gojyo dropped the smile, put on a deep scowl and stalked closer, putting a bit of sway into it like Sanzo did when he was seriously pissed off. Hakkai's eyes widened and he backed off a step. Gojyo kept up with him until Hakkai's shoulders hit the wall.

'So,' Gojyo said, slapping his palms flat on the wall either side of Hakkai's head, trapping him. He leaned in, making his voice low and soft, 'you're interested in our Sanzo-sama?' 

Hakkai tilted his chin up and gave a tiny smile. 'Ah-- Gojyo, what are you saying?'

'Well, I know you didn't persuade me to wear this stuff for my own personal comfort. You're not gonna try and play innocent with me, are you? Why did you dress me up like this?' 

'It just looks very good on you,' Hakkai offered. 

Gojyo ignored him. Instead he pressed up close and put his lips to Hakkai's ear. 

'He treats you different to us. You know that. I wonder what he really thinks about you.'

'Nothing very good. I don't know,' said Hakkai. 

If he was trying to sound nonchalant he was failing. 

'I do,' Gojyo whispered. Hakkai tensed against him. 'I bet he strips you naked every night in his head. I bet he thinks about bending you over the bed like that.' 

'Gojyo, ' Hakkai breathed.

Gojyo pressed his face to Hakkai's neck and breathed in the smell of his hair, putting an arm tight round his waist. Hakkai arched against him and made a soft noise in his throat.

'Or maybe he's the one who wants to get bent over, with you on top,' Gojyo said. 'Yeah, that's what he wants. Even if he doesn't, you'd give it to him, right?'

Hakkai gave a soft throaty growl and put a hand to his throat and began to tug open his shirt.

'You can fuck me like this,' Gojyo said. 'Just like you want to fuck Sanzo. Close your eyes. You can touch him.'

'Yes,' Hakkai said, so quiet it was little more than a breath and then his hands were on Gojyo, sliding up the black-clad length of his arm, tracing the tight grip of the metal bands, over bare upper arms and to his throat and the high neck.

'Ah-- just as long you don't want to play Goku,' Gojyo added. 

He thought Hakkai might laugh. Instead Hakkai opened his eyes and stared at him, his face perfectly serious. Gojyo shivered.

'No. I want to be me,' said Hakkai. 'Me with you.' 

He slid his fingers down Gojyo's stomach and closed them suddenly hard and tight around the bulge in Gojyo's jeans. 

'Well, mostly you,' Hakkai said, with a little laugh. 'Now, get on the bed. Sanzo.'


	47. Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: weather. 45 mins. Hakkai and Gojyo in the rain.

'Are you okay?'

Rare words, not often asked. They might be Gojyo's way of asking me if I want to sleep with him. I haven't ever given him an answer, at least not the one I think he thinks he wants.

Yes.

Yes please.

Perhaps because he doesn't even realise he is asking. 

The weather is dreadful this time of year, very wet. I like to watch from the window but sometimes we go out in it, a little family, Gojyo, Jeep and I.

We have one umbrella that we share, the same one I used once to rescue him. That was the first day I killed again. How easy it was, although to be fair back when I was human it was easy too, once begun. Easy for my sister too. 

How can one expect to cope with all this rain? The sheets don't dry, the floor is muddied all over, and recently mushrooms have begun to sprout on the wooden window frames. I scrape them off as soon as I notice their slender, smooth heads appearing, but they come back. 

'Hakkai,' he says, with the smile that tells me he's worried.

'I'd like to go for a walk,' I say and he blinks. I need him to help me.

'In this downpour?'

'Please,' which he cannot refuse. He's a better-- man-- than me.

So we go out, him and I, the two of us in the grey day, up the lane and past the place where he found me. 

It should be cold; it isn't. My clothes chafe my wet skin and it should feel unpleasant; it doesn't. Gojyo's boots squelch because the sole is through. He says he keeps forgetting to send them to the cobbler, so perhaps I should take them. What's more, our trusty umbrella leaks. After an hour of drips down the back of the neck, Gojyo thrusts it triumphantly into a litter bin. 

'We don't need it, do we?' he says as water runs down his chin and drips onto his shirt. 

'I don't think we could get much wetter, could we?'

There are heavy clouds over us. I can smell the sharp tang of electricity as it singes the air. It tingles all around us, enfolding us in life, and there's a flicker of white light above us. 

'Gojyo, perhaps we'd better go back?' More for his sake, because I'm wondering what it would be like to be struck by lightning, to be consumed.

Gojyo is bright against the thunderous blue clouds. He shakes his head at me and nudges my shoulder as we walk along. 

Sometimes the sound and sight of rain makes me weep. More often it leaves me frozen, caught between a past I can barely face and a future I cannot accept, but which I must if I am to live. Mine are the faltering steps of an invalid, but look, today I splash through puddles, let Gojyo's warmth touch me and hold my hand out to catch the falling water.


	48. The Haircut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Emungere. Hakkai wields the scissors

'Not too good at cutting straight lines, are you?'

Sanzo surveyed Goku and Gojyo, who both flinched as he swept his critical gaze over their heads: one spiky brown like the ruffled fur of an angry bear and the other wild red and hanging in thick uneven strands. 

Jeep sat on the table, shaking his new short summer mane. It was only roughly the same length all over. He let out a plaintive squeak and fluttered off to the top of the wardrobe. 

Bits of hair, red and brown and white, were scattered on the floor at Hakkai's feet.

'Well, perhaps. But it keeps the hair looking very healthy. And of course it doesn't get in their eyes to bother them.'

'My hair doesn't get in my eyes,' said Sanzo, pushing the infuriating stuff away to make it true.

'Well, it also doesn't dangle in their soup.' 

'Don't be an idiot. My hair does not get in my soup. Unlike his.'

'Is this a bit of noodle I can see stuck in here?' Gojyo said, leaning in and picking up a blond strand between his fingers. 

'Get off.' Sanzo batted his hand away. 

'Or get singed by lighters,' Hakkai went on. 

'I really hate the smell of burning hair,' Goku noted, thoughtfully, and then, 'Can someone help me get all this hair out of my shirt?'

'And no split ends, I think you'll discover. It'll be smooth and neat.'

Gojyo tossed his hair so it caught the light. It was remarkably shiny and soft-looking. Sanzo hesitated. 'Hmph.'

Hakkai quickly held up a towel and his hairdressing scissors, beaming. 'Everything's all ready for you. It won't hurt a bit. I promise not to snip your ears off.' 

'That's worrying coming from you,' Sanzo muttered, but he sat down and let Hakkai drape the towel round his neck. 'Be quick.'

'Whatever you say, Sanzo. Now, just relax.'

*

snik 

snik 

snik

Something was happening, he was sure, something he was supposed to be paying attention to, but he couldn't find the energy to open his eyes. He drifted half awake, his limbs warm and heavy. Something cool touched his neck, metal pressing gently and carefully. Not sharp, but infinitely soothing, much like the fingers that pulled through his hair and pressed gently on his scalp. Fingertips brushed his face and he pressed into the touch as they moved his head this way and that, liking how they lingered on his skin. He wanted them to stay longer but they went, trailing one last time through his hair to land lightly on his shoulder.

'Finished,' Hakkai said in his ear. 

'Whuzzah?' 

'Oh. Did you doze off?'

'Of course not,' Sanzo said, sitting up straight and wiping away a tell-tale bit of drool. 

The haircut. He put a hand up to his hair. There there were no spiky, singed ends and absolutely no trace of soup. In the mirror he could see his own sleepy looking eyes gazing back. It was quite good to see clearly for the first time in years. But he hadn't meant to fall asleep at all. Worse, he realised he was horribly relaxed, and through no fault of his own.

'What did you do to me?' he demanded.

'I simply gave you a haircut.'

'Bah. It's all right, I suppose.'

Gojyo looked over from his newspaper. 'You talk in your sleep, you know.'

'I wasn't asleep... what did I say?'

'Don't stop, don't stop. It feels so niiice.'

'Pervert. Liar. I would never say that. It's so ridiculous I can't even be bothered to shoot you.'

'He's good, isn't he,' Gojyo said. 'Not just your average barber.'

'I've no idea what you're talking about.'

'Wait a minute, Hakkai,' said Goku. 'So who cuts your hair?'

'Oh, that's a good point for you. Even I never thought of that. Hey, Hakkai, so who cuts the hairdresser's hair? It's like one of those riddles.'

'Moron,' said Sanzo.

'Er... I do it myself,' Hakkai said hurriedly, shoving the scissors into his bag.

'That shows,' Sanzo said, but without much bile. He couldn't seem to summon up enough anger for some reason and anyway, his own fringe was straight. More or less. 'And what're you doing now?'

Hakkai swept up the hair trimmings into a shiny multicoloured pile and then began scooping them into a bag.

'You keep it?' Goku said. 'What for?'

'Of course. There's no point in wasting it. I'm going to stuff a cushion. I thought Jeep could use it for a bed.'

'Is that even hygenic?' Gojyo said, frowning. 

Sanzo dragged himself over to his bed and pulled the covers over his head and his new, short, comfortable haircut. 'Remind me to shoot you all when I wake up.'


End file.
